COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF STORAGE TISSUE AND INSULIN-LIKE NEUROSECRETION IN DIPLOID AND TRIPLOID MUSSELS MYTILUS-GALLOPROVINCIALIS LMK IN RELATION TO THEIR GAMETOGENESIS CYCLE

We conducted a comparative stereological analysis of diploid and induc ed triploid Mytilus galloprovincialis germinal and storage tissue volu me fractions along an annual cycle, concomitantly to the immunocytoche mical study of cerebral insulin-like peptide (ILP) secretion. Germinal tissue developed to the same extent in diploids and triploids, while storage tissue disappeared with the same pattern in both populations. We present immunocytochemical evidence of an ILP cycle for the first t ime in bivalves. Moreover, this cycle is closely related to gametogene sis and storage tissue cycles and presents the same features in diploi d and triploid animals.