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. 1975 Aug;72(8):3255–3259. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.8.3255

The ovary as a source of alpha-ecdysone in an adult mosquito.

H H Hagedorn, J D O'Connor, M S Fuchs, B Sage, D A Schlaeger, M K Bohm
PMCID: PMC432961  PMID: 1059110

Abstract

The ovaries of the mosquito Aedes aegypti cultured in vitro secrete material that behaves like ecdysone in a radioimmunoassay. The material was identified as alpha-ecdysone by high-resolution liquid and gas-liquid chromatography. Secretion reached a maximum 16 hr after a blood meal as shown by bioassay and direct determination. Ovariectomy reduced the concentration of ecdysone in the adult after a blood meal. Qualitative analysis of whole-body extracts indicated beta-ecdysone to be the principal species present. Thus the ovaries appear to secrete a prohormone, alpha-ecdysone, which is converted to beta-ecdysone. Beta-ecdysone plays a significant role in stimulating egg development in the adult mosquito and may have reproductive roles in other insects.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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