H. Ai et al., A PHYSIOLOGICAL SALINE FOR LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS - EFFECTS OF IONIC COMPOSITION ON HEART BEAT AND NEUROMUSCULAR-TRANSMISSION, Journal of insect physiology, 41(7), 1995, pp. 571-580
Three species of Lepidoptera, Bombyx mori, Agrius convolvuli and Anthe
raea yamamai were used to prepare a suitable physiological saline for
maintaining heart beat and junctional potentials of somatic muscle cel
ls, A variety of salines designed for Lepidoptera were reexamined, Hea
rt beat in the three species could not be maintained in salines used p
reviously as physiological or culture solutions for Lepidoptera, Ionic
compositions were determined for physiological salines that were suit
able for maintaining the normal heart beat and normal neuromuscular tr
ansmission in body muscle cells, It was found that salines should cont
ain 12-28 mM NaCl, 32-16 mM KCl ([Na+] + [K+] = 44) and at least 9 mM
CaCl2, In the salines, stimuli to motor nerves evoke action potentials
of more than 40 mV in amplitude in ventral muscle cells, The ionic co
mposition of a new physiological saline for Lepidoptera is as follows:
NaCl, 12-28; KCl, 32-16 ([Na+] + [K+] = 44); CaCl2, 9; NaH2PO4, 1.5;
Na2HPO4, 1.5; MgCl2, 18; sucrose, 175 (mM), pH 6.5.