QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

Help viewing high resolution images Return to article

Fig. 4. Comparison of the rectal structure of the freshwater culicine Ae. aegypti (A), the saline-tolerant culicine Oc. taeniorhynchus (B), and the freshwater anopheline, An. gambiae (C) using confocal microscopy of whole mount immunohistochemical preparations. Similar data have previously been reported (Patrick and Gill, 2003; Smith et al., 2007; Okech et al., 2008). Protein localizations are shown for visual distinction of rectal segments in each species. Freshwater culicine larvae possess a structurally uniform rectum as shown by Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (red) localization (A) whereas saline-tolerant culicine larvae possess a rectum structurally divided into distinct anterior (AR) and posterior (PR) regions as shown by the localization of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (red) to the AR and V-ATPase (green) to the PR (B). By contrast, both freshwater and saline-tolerant anopheline larvae possess a unique type of segmented rectum, which differs from culicines and consists of a patch of cells on the dorsal anterior region of the rectum (DAR cells), which are distinguishable from the rest of the rectum (non-DAR cells) as shown by the localization of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (red) to the non-DAR cells and CA9 (blue) to the DAR cells (C). AR, anterior rectum; DAR, dorsal anterior rectum; PR, posterior rectum. Scale bars: A,C, 150 µm; and B, 186 µm.

Return to article