Changes in blood proteins in the cockroach Periplaneta americana after chemosterilization with metepa

Abstract

Polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoretic studies on the blood proteins of the adult female cockroach Periplaneta americana made sterile by chemical and by surgical means revealed certain differences. While in surgically sterilized animals only the less mobile protein fractions corresponding to soluble oocyte proteins increased in concentration in the blood, in chemosterilized females certain of the more mobile fractions in addition to those corresponding to the less mobile soluble oocyte proteins showed an increase. Various fractions which registered an initial increase in the chemosterilized females showed a tendency to decrease with time, whereas after surgical sterilization they continued to remain higher. However, ovarian degeneration appeared to be irreversible after chemosterilization. Chemosterilization in the female is accompanied by derangement of protein metabolism and inability of the follicle epithelium to take up even available oocyte proteins from the haemolymph.