What is the role of hormones in silkworm technology?
Ecdysis, the shedding of cuticle at the end of each life stage, is critical to the postembryonic development of insects. The endocrine regulation of ecdysis has been highlighted by the recent description of the epitracheal endocrine system in the tobacco hornwormManduca sexta,which produces ecdysis-triggering hormone (Mas-ETH). This peptide hormone initiates pre-ecdysis and ecdysis through a direct action on the central nervous system. The embryonic diapause of the silkworm, Bombyx mori is induced by a neuropeptide hormone, diapause hormone, which is secreted from the suboesophageal ganglion. About 55, 000 complexes of the suboesophageal ganglion and the first thoracic ganglion were dissected out from day 1 pupae of silkworms.
