EFFECTS OF ECDYSONE ECDYSTERONE AND INOKOSTERONE ON IN VITRO INITIATION OF METAMORPHOSIS OF WING DISKS OF GALLERIA MELLONELLA

Wing disks of Galleria mellonella initiated metamorphosis when cultured in vitro with ecdysone, ecdysterone, or inokosterone. Even disks from the early part of the final larval stadium were competent to respond to these hormones in vitro. Wing disks synthesized DNA during the first 24 hr of culture, but did not continue to do so unless they were cultured in the presence of ecydsone. Ecdysone-analogues had no effect on DNA synthesis in these experiments. These observations suggest that ecdysone and ecdysterone may have distinct rôles in vivo. © 1969.