Fig. 5

Micrographs of representative ovaries from Ae. aegypti females provided ad libitum access to BSA- a–d or tryptone-sucrose e–f beginning on day 1 post-emergence. Ovaries were explanted from individual females, fixed and stained with DAPI to visualize nurse cell and oocyte nuclei (N–O) in each follicle. a Ovary from a 5-day-old female showing that each ovariole consists of a primary follicle (Pf) fully packaged with yolk, a secondary follicle (Sf) and the germarium (Gm). b Ovary from a 5-day-old female that oviposited eggs on day 4, which results in the Sf becoming a Pf containing little yolk but with nurse cell and oocyte nuclei (N–O) readily visible but no tertiary follicle fully developed. c Ovary from a 10-day-old female in which most Pfs contain visible nurse cell and oocyte nuclei and intermediate amounts of yolk. d Ovary from a 15-day-old female in which some ovarioles contain a mature egg (Me) while others contain a small Pf with little or no yolk. e Ovary from a 5-day-old female in which each Pf contains visible nurse cell and oocyte nuclei and small amounts of yolk. f Ovary from a 10-day-old female in which nurse cell and oocyte nuclei are visible in most Pfs that contain intermediate amounts of yolk. Some ovarioles also contain newly formed Sfs proximal to the Gm. g Ovary from a 10-day-old female in which some ovarioles contain a Pf fully packaged with yolk while other ovarioles contain a Pf, Sf and tertiary follicle (Tf) proximal to the Gm. h Ovary from a 15-day-old female in which the ovary contains several Mes plus Pfs with little or no yolk. Scale bar in h equals 50 m