Eur. J. Entomol. 96 (4): 341-345, 1999
Effect of melatonin on the release of prothoracicotropic hormone from the brain of Periplaneta americana (Blattodea: Blattidae)
- Saxon Academy of Sciences, Research Group Jena, Erbertstrasse 1, D-07743 Jena, Germany; e-mail: Klaus.Richter@rz.uni-jena.de
The occurrence of melatonin is known in nearly all organisms, but nothing is known exactly about its function outside of vertebrates. Long-term perifusions as well as short-term batch incubations of brains and moulting glands of the cockroach Periplaneta americana were used to identify the effect of melatonin on the release of prothoracicotropic hormone, a glandotropic neuropeptide in the brain, which stimulates the production of the moulting hormone ecdysone in the moulting gland. This is the first experimental evidence of a neurohormonal releasing effect of melatonin in the insect nervous system.
Keywords: Melatonin, prothoracicotropic hormone, moulting gland, serotonin, luzindole, Blattodea, Periplaneta americana
Received: December 29, 1998; Accepted: February 22, 1999; Published: December 20, 1999 Show citation
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