Elzbieta Kisiel

Embryos of the Viviparous Dermapteran, Arixenia esau Develop Sequentially in Two Compartments: Terminal Ovarian Follicles and the Uterus

Three main reproductive strategies have been described among insects: most common oviparity, ovoviviparity and viviparity. In the latter strategy, the embryonic development takes place within the body of the mother which provides gas exchange and nutrients for embryos. Here we present the results of histological and EM analyses of the female reproductive system of the viviparous earwig, Arixenia esau, focusing on all the modifications related to the viviparity. We show that in the studied species the embryonic development consists of two “physiological phases” that take place in two clearly disparate compartments, i.e. the terminal ovarian follicle and the uterus. In both compartments the embryos are associated with synthetically active epithelial cells. We suggest that these cells are involved in the nourishment of the embryo. Our results indicate that viviparity in arixeniids is more complex than previously considered. We propose the new term “pseudoplacento-uterotrophic viviparity” for this unique two-phase reproductive strategy.

Exclusion of dysfunctional mitochondria from Balbiani body during early oogenesis of Thermobia.

Oocytes of many invertebrate and vertebrate species contain a characteristic organelle complex known as the Balbiani body (Bb). Until now, three principal functions have been ascribed to this complex: delivery of germ cell determinants and localized RNAs to the vegetal cortex/posterior pole of the oocyte, transport of the mitochondria towards the germ plasm, and participation in the formation of lipid droplets. Here, we present the results of a computer-aided 3D reconstruction of the Bb in the growing oocytes of an insect, Thermobia domestica. Our analyses have shown that, in Thermobia, the central part of each fully developed Bb comprises a single intricate mitochondrial network. This “core” network is surrounded by several isolated bean-shaped mitochondrial units that display lowered membrane potential and clear signs of degeneration. In light of the above results and recent theoretical models of mitochondrial quality control, the role of the Bb is discussed. We suggest that, in addition to the aforementioned functions, the Bb is implicated in the selective elimination of dysfunctional mitochondria during oogenesis.

Meiosis, Balbiani body and early asymmetry of Thermobia oocyte

The meiotic division guarantees maintenance of a genetic diversity; it consists of several stages, with prophase I being the longest and the most complex. We decided to follow the course of initial stages of meiotic division in ovaries of Thermobia domestica using modified techniques of squash preparations, semithin sections, and electron microscopy. We show that germaria contain numerous germline cells that can be classified into three categories: cystoblasts, meiotic oocytes, and growing previtellogenic oocytes. The cystoblasts are located most apically. The meiotic oocytes occupy the middle part of the germarium, and the previtellogenic oocytes can be found in the most basal part, near the vitellarium. Analyses of the semithin sections and squash preparations show that post leptotene meiotic chromosomes gather in one region of the nucleoplasm where they form the so-called bouquet. The telomeres of the bouquet chromosomes are attached to a relatively small area (segment) of the nuclear envelope. Next to this envelope segment, the nucleolar organizers are also located. We show that in concert to sequential changes inside the oocyte nuclei, rearrangement of organelles within the ooplasm (oocyte cytoplasm) takes place. This leads to the formation of the Balbiani body and consequent asymmetry of the ooplasm. These early nuclear and cytoplasmic asymmetries, however, are transient. During diplotene, the chromosome bouquet disappears, while the Balbiani body gradually disperses throughout the ooplasm. Finally, our observations indicate the presence of lampbrush chromosomes in the nuclei of previtellogenic oocytes. In the close vicinity to lampbrush chromosomes, characteristic spherical nuclear bodies are present.

A Very Simple Mode of Follicular Cell Diversification in Euborellia fulviceps (Dermaptera, Anisolabididae) Involves Actively Migrating Cells

The ovaries of Euborellia fulviceps are composed of five elongated ovarioles of meroistic-polytrophic type. The individual ovariole has three discernible regions: the terminal filament, germarium, and vitellarium. The terminal filament is a stalk of flattened, disc-shaped somatic cells. In the germarium, germline cells in subsequent stages of differentiation are located, and the vitellarium comprises numerous ovarian follicles arranged linearly. The individual ovarian follicles within the vitellarium are separated by prominent interfollicular stalks. The follicles are composed by two germline cells only: an oocyte and a single, polyploid nurse cell, which are surrounded by a monolayer of somatic follicular cells (FCs). During subsequent stages of oogenesis, initially uniform follicular epithelium begins to diversify into morphologically and physiologically distinct subpopulations. In E. fulviceps, the FC diversification mode is rather simple and leads to the formation of only three different FC subpopulations: (1) cuboidal FCs covering the oocyte, (2) stretched FCs surrounding the nurse cell and (3) FCs actively migrating between oocyte and a nurse cell. We found that FCs from the latter subpopulation send long and thin filopodium-like and microtubule-rich processes penetrating between the oocyte and nurse cell membranes. This suggests that, in E. fulviceps, cells from at least one FCs subpopulation show the ability to change position within an ovarian follicle by means of active migration.