W. Rossler et al., EARLY FORMATION OF SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC GLOMERULI IN THE DEVELOPING OLFACTORY LOBE OF THE BRAIN OF THE MOTH MANDUCA-SEXTA, Journal of comparative neurology, 396(4), 1998, pp. 415-428
The antennal lobes (ALs), the primary olfactory centers, of the moth M
anduca sexta are sexually dimorphic. Only ALs of males possess the mac
roglomerular complex (MGC), the site of primary processing of informat
ion about the female's sex pheromone. To understand the development of
identified, odor-specific olfactory glomeruli, we investigated the ce
llular events involved in the morphogenesis of the MGC by means of var
ious fluorescence staining techniques and laser-scanning confocal micr
oscopy. The MGC lies near the entrance of the antennal nerve into the
AL of the adult male and comprises three glomeruli, the globular cumul
us and two toroidal structures. The MGC forms during early stages of m
etamorphic adult development through a stereotyped sequence of coordin
ated changes in MGC-specific receptor axons, glial cells, and early-in
growing projection neurons of the medial group of AL neurons. The MGC
divisions are the earliest glomeruli to form in the male AL, and their
basic organization is established within about 3 days after ingrowth
of the first sensory axons. Despite their special anatomical features,
the MGC glomeruli develop in a manner similar to that of the ordinary
glomeruli. Comparison of the ALs of males and females reveals that tw
o relatively large and early-developing glomeruli that are situated do
rsolaterally in the female AL appear to be female-specific. Developmen
t of the sexually dimorphic glomeruli diverges immediately after the i
ngrowth of the first olfactory receptor axons, resulting in the format
ion of these large glomeruli in females and the MGC in males. (C) 1998
Wiley-Liss, Inc.