PRODUCTION OF VITELLOGENIN IN-VITRO BY THE PERIOVARIC FAT-BODY OF BLATTELLA-GERMANICA (L) (DICTYOPTERA, BLATTELLIDAE)

The fat body produces vitellogenic proteins, which are released to the haemolymph and incorporated into developing oocytes. In the cockroach Blattella germanica, endocrine and other physiological cues regulate vitellogenesis in a complex homeostatic pattern, which is not fully un derstood. The in vitro approach may be useful to study this pattern, a nd the present paper describes an experimental set-up based on the inc ubation of the periovaric portion of the fat body and the measurement of vitellogenin production with an EIA method. The results correspond fairly well with equivalent data obtained in vivo and suggest that the periovaric fat body is an appropriate anatomical unit to study vitell ogenin production in vitro.