Histopathological and cytochemical effects of hempa on the ovaries of Poekilocerus pictus Fabr. (Acrididae: Orthoptera)
Sahai, Y.N.; Banerjee, S.
Folia Morphologica 34(2): 201-205
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0015-5640 PMID: 3744183 Document Number: 278941
Late sixth stage nymphs and newly moulted females of the grasshopper Poekilocerus pictus Fabr. were injected with various doses of the non-alkylating chemosterilant hempa. This insect has a panoistic type of ovary in which the follicular epithelium is the most important organ for the transport of nutrients to the developing oocytes. Hempa was found to cause pyknosis of the follicular epithelial cells, whose cytoplasm was drawn into the peripheral empty space formed by shrinkage of the ooplasm. The oocyte nucleus was also damaged and yolk formation was inhibited. The resultant necrosis increased together with the dose of hempa and/or the length of the post-treatment period. However, the necrotic effects of hempa were found to be less severe than those caused by alkylating chemosterilants.