The salivary glands of Aedes aegypti (L.): an electron microscope study.

Abstract

Salivary glands of female Aedes aegypti are made up basically of two lateral lobes consisting of proximal, intermediate, and distal portions, and a median lobe consisting of intermediate and distal portions. Branches occur in the lateral lobes and to a lesser extent in the median lobe, resulting in varying degrees of duplication of these portions. Each portion is composed of a distinctive cell type. The proximal and distal portion of the lateral lobe and the distal portion of the median lobe are glandular in function. Non-glandular intermediate portions of the lateral and median lobes have membrane developments similar to tissues functioning in water transport and thus may hydrate the dense secretory material of the distal portions of the salivary gland by the active secretion of water.