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Article
Patterns of ionic currents around the developing oocyte of the cockroach, Blattella germanica.
Dev. Biol. (1990)
  • Joseph G. Kunkel, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Abstract
The development of patterns of current around vitellogenic oocytes of the cockroach, Blattella germanica, was examined by means of a two-dimensional vibrating probe. Previtellogenic oocytes exhibited small unstable currents. Shortly after vitellogenic uptake began (oocytes 0.6-0.8 mm anterior to posterior) currents were either all inward or all outward at the plane of measuiement. A dorsoventral pattern of currents was first observed around oocytes a little larger than 0.8 mm. Current exited dorsally (source) and entered ventrally (sink). In these oocytes source and sink were small, less than half the anterior-posterior length. As oocytes grew, relative sizes of source and sink increased until they extended across the major part of dorsal and ventral surfaces. Many late vitellogenic oocytes had a pattern of dorsal outward current with.a bimodal distribution. At the onset of chorionation measured currents were again small, unstable, and exhibited no well-defined pattern. Current density was greatest during midvitellogenesis
Keywords
  • oocyte,
  • vibrating probe,
  • cockroach,
  • Blattella germanica
Disciplines
Publication Date
1990
Citation Information
Joseph G. Kunkel. "Patterns of ionic currents around the developing oocyte of the cockroach, Blattella germanica." Dev. Biol. Vol. 137 Iss. 2 (1990)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/joseph_kunkel/2/