Changes in ultrastructure of gonads and external morphology during aging in the parthenogenetic cladoceran Daphnia pulex

Mingqi Cai, Zhiquan Liu, Minghai Chen, Youhui Huang, Meng Zhang, Yang Jiao, Yunlong Zhao

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

The water flea Daphnia pulex, a small crustacean that lives in freshwater ponds, undergoes parthenogenesis and gamogenesis according to environmental conditions. In D. pulex, different morphological characteristics can be observed using a microscope during aging. In this study, we recorded the growth, reproduction, and survival indicators of parthenogenetic D. pulex females to analyze the morphological changes that occur during senescence. We observed the growth and development of the parthenogenetic females on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days by using scanning electron microscopy and ultrastructure of the gonads on the 7th, 14th and 21st days with transmission electron microscopy. We found that body length and reproductive capacity in the parthenogenetic individuals first increased and then decreased with aging, and the survival rate decreased gradually. The depression of the brood pouch on the back of the parthenogenetic females implied a decline in gonadal function and gradual aging. During senescence, the number of lipid droplets in the gonads of the parthenogenetic females decreased, and the integrity of the mitochondria and peroxisome was destroyed. The results of our study revealed the morphological characteristics of senescence in D. pulex.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-7
Number of pages7
JournalMicron
Volume122
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2019

Keywords

  • Aging
  • Daphnia pulex
  • Gonad
  • Growth
  • Ultrastructure

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