Cell death mechanisms during follicular atresia in Dipetalogaster maxima, a vector of Chagas' disease (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).

SILVINA A. AGUIRRE; PATRICIA PONS; BEATRIZ P. SETTEMBRINI; DANIELA ARROYO; LILIAN E CANAVOSO

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2013 vol. 59 p. 532 - 532

n this work wehave analyzed the involvement of cell death pathways during the process of follicular atresia in the hematophagous insect vector Dipetalogaster maxima. Standardized insect rearing conditions were established to induce agradual follicular degeneration stage bydepriving females ofblood meal during post-vitellogenesis. Wefirstcharacterized the morpho-histological and ultrastructural changes of the ovarian tissue at early and late follicular atresia by light and transmission electron microscopy. Apoptosis was investigated by DAPI nuclear staining, TUNEL labeling and the detection ofactive caspase-3 by immunofluorescence. Autophagy was assessed bythe measurement ofacid phosphatase activ- ity in ovarian homogenates and monitor edbythe detection ofthe specificmarker ofautophagic compartments, LC3. High levels of acid phosphatase activity were detected at all atretic stages. However, follicular cells of follicles undergoing incipient degeneration in early atresia exhibited