Int. J. Dev. Biol. 34: 299 - 307 (1990)

Vol 34, Issue 2

Cuticle secretion in Drosophila wing imaginal discs in vitro: parameters of exposure to 20-hydroxy ecdysone

Published: 1 June 1990

S A Johnson and M J Milner

Department of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, University of St. Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Abstract

We have cultured Drosophila wing imaginal discs in vitro under a variety of hormonal conditions in order to determine whether cuticle secretion is enhanced by a withdrawal of 20-hydroxy ecdysone at one of two points in development, corresponding to the drop in hormone titer during the prepupal period, and to the fall in hormone levels during the later stages if imaginal differentiation. We found that these treatments did not enhance either pupal or adult cuticle secretion.