REGENERATION OF SARCOPHAGA IMAGINAL DISCS IN-VITRO - IMPLICATION OF 20-HYDROXYECDYSONE

When the 3/4 sectors of leg imaginal discs of Sarcophaga were cultured in vitro in the presence of 2.5 x 10(-8) M 20-hydroxyecdysone, wound healing and restoration of their morphology occurred. This concentrati on of ecdysone was critical for wound healing and was 40 times lower t han that necessary for inducing differentiation of imaginal discs in v itro. Lost positional values revealed by expression of the wingless ge ne were found to show partial recovery under these conditions. These r esults suggest that a low titer of ecdysone is essential for the regen eration of imaginal discs. (C) 1997 Academic Press.