Effects of treatment of the fat body trophocytes of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides nurse workers and virgin queens in culture by juvenile hormone III and ecdysterone (20-HE).

The fat body (FB) consists of two types of cells: throphocytes and oenocytes. Throphocytes are related to intermediary metabolism storing lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins while oenocytes play role in the lipids and lipoproteins production. The vitellogenin is the precursor of egg yolk (vitelline) and is synthesized on FB.

Cytochemistry of fat body trophocytes and ovaries of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) during vitellogenesis.

The fat body (FB) of insects is where yolk proteins are synthesized. Therefore, relationships between the FB and oogenesis were studied in nurse workers, virgins, and physogastric queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides, a stingless bee in which the workers produce and lay eggs while provisioning brood cells. The relationships between FB and oogenesis, as well as the routes of materials from hemolymph to the oocytes, were studied through the cytochemical detection of lipids by osmium imidazole (OI), carbohydrates by ruthenium red (RR) and basic proteins by ammoniacal silver (AS).