Abstract
Insects are abundantly endowed with mechanoreceptors, sense organs that transduce mechanical stimuli into nerve impulses. Like most cockroaches, Blaberus discoidalis is highly sensitive to vibrations of the substrate on which it walks. This sensitivity is thought to be due in large part to the subgenual organ — an intricately constructed mechanoreceptor located near the proximal end of the tibia. The exoskeleton of the cockroach is secreted by a layer of epidermal cells which enclose the haemocoele of animal's open circulatory system. The subgenual organ is a thin, fan-shaped flap of tissue which is suspended from the epidermis and occludes much of the dorsal blood space in the hollow leg. It is therefore surrounded by blood on all sides; its position renders it susceptible to minor displacements of the surrounding fluid medium. Highly modified epidermal cells which are packed with hundreds of parallel microtubules support the subgenual organ as a ligament. The cells which compose the bulk of the organ are populated with a few mitochondria and many microtubules.
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Schedule a callMore From: Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America
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