DISCONNECTED CORPORA ALLATA PROVIDE A NOVEL ASSAY FOR ALLATOSTIMULATING FACTORS

In the African locust, corpora allata deprived of brain neural connection exhibit a very low and reproducible rate of juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis. They were used to develop a novel in vitro assay for allatostimulating factors. A methanol brain extract stimulated the JH production of disconnected corpora allata by a factor of 20‐ to 30‐fold. Brain extract stimulation was dose‐dependent from 0.5 to 1 brain equivalent and maximum from 1 to 4. A slight allatostimulating activity was also found when using a methanol extract of the corpora cardiaca or of the corpora allata. Copyright © 1990 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company