Morphogenesis of the tail fan in the grass shrimp, palaemonetes pugio / by Robin A. Gibson-Brown.
| Author/creator | Gibson-Brown, Robin A. author. |
| Other author | West, Terry L. (Terry Lynn), 1946- degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Biology. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 1997. |
| Description | 108 leaves : illustrations (some color) ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | Epidermal tissue growth and programmed cell death were studied as possible morphogenetic mechanisms of tail fan development in larvae of the grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio. Epidermal tissue growth consists of an increase in epidermal cell size and number. Tail fan development is a characteristic feature of the malacostracan Crustacea, a class that includes approximately 85% of the described crustacean species. Tail fan development involves the transformation of a single triangular shaped appendage into a complex array of five elements; a central telson bordered on each side by a pair of uropods. This transformation occurs during the course of the first four larval instars. Gravid females were collected and observed at eight hour intervals to determine approximate hatching time. Larva P. pugio were individually maintained in 10 ml glass vials at 25° ± 2° C and fed brine shrimp (Artemia) larvae ad libitum. Molting occurred every 60 to 72 hours. Larvae were fixed in B4G and stained with Feulgens, at four hour intervals during the first 200 hours of development (Larval Instar I - IV). Morphometric measurements of the tail fan were made to determine and correlate gross epidermal and cuticular growth. Epidermal cell proliferation and growth was quantified by measuring (a) nuclear density, (b) nuclear area, (c) internuclear distance, and (d) exposing specimens to the mitotic inhibitor, colchicine. Programmed cell death was assessed by examining the Feulgen-stained tissue for pycnotic nuclei. Experimental findings suggest both epidermal cell growth and cell proliferation are important mechanisms in the formation of the tail fan in P. pugio, and that the relative importance of these mechanism varies among the elements of the tail fan. Epidermal cell growth was most important in the development of the telson, while localized cell proliferation was most important in the development of the uropods. No strong evidence was found for programmed cell death in the morphogenesis of any component of the tad fan. This study represents the first description and analysis of tail fan morphogenesis at the cellular level for any malacostracan crustacean. |
| General note | Submitted to the faculty of the Department of Biology. |
| General note | Advisor: Terry L. West |
| Dissertation note | M.S. East Carolina University 1997 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-104). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | University Archives | ASK AT SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DESK | ✔ Available | Request Material |
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