Electron microscope studies of Melasoma embryos during the formation of the cellular blastoderm
Biliński, S.
Folia Biologica 26(3): 189-194
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0015-5497 PMID: 720689 Document Number: 129152
The blastoderm of Melasoma saliceti Weise (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) was examined by EM during the formation of cleavage furrows. The furrows develop through infoldings of the existing surface membrane, enclosing a syncytial blastoderm, and by incorporation of the membranes of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Cytoplasmic organelles show an uneven distribution. A large number of organelles and cytoplasmic inclusions, such as mitochondria, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, lipid droplets and glycogen, occur around the lower parts of the nuclei and in the basal cytoplasm, while they are very sparse in the peripheral cytoplasm. Numerous, short microtubules surround the nuclei, which are devoid of nucleoli. The blastoderm also contains bacteroids and autolytic vacuoles.