Comparative histological and biochemical studies
were conducted with the flight muscles and mitochondria
of several insect species to determine any correlation
which exists between muscle structure and the metabolic
activity of their mitochondria. Light microscopic
examinations were used in the subcellular observations
of these muscles. These included direct observations
of freshly isolated material (wet mounts), as well as
permanent preparations of transverse sections of some
muscle fibers. Histological results were presented
in a table which includes the muscle type, as well as
the fiber, fibril, and mitochondria sizes of several
insect species. The presence and abundance of mitochondria
and their arrangement in straight rows between
the fibrils, was shown to be common in the flight
muscles of all insects investigated (except in the female
cockroach, Periplaneta americana). In support of these
results, a series of microphotographs showing a compparison
of the features studied is presented.
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