Flying is often associated with superior visual performance, as good vision is crucial for detection and implementation of rapid visually guided aerial movements. To understand the evolution of insect visual systems it is therefore important to compare phylogenetically related species with different investments in flight capability. Here, we describe and compare morphological and electrophysiol...

Effect of static load on activity of motor centers controlling motor activity (walking, flight) was studied in the American cockroach Periplaneta americana L. It has been established that under effect of load on the animal body the relative excitability of these centers increases. A suggestion is put forward about the presence of common neuronal elements in the generator networks providing moto...

The postembryonic growth of the compound eye of the cockroach Periplaneta americana involves increases in the size of the individual ommatidia as well as a 35-fold increase in the number of ommatidia. These ommatidia are added to the anterior, dorsal, and ventral margins of the eye by means of an almost continuous process of cell division in the proliferation zone in these margins. This prolife...

Gap junctions are intercellular junction apparatus found in almost all multicellular animals and are involved in direct intercellular communication. Those of invertebrate animals consist of the innexin protein family. We developed antibodies against peptide fragments of Bombyx mori innexin 2, and examined tissues of Periplaneta americana by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and immunoelect...

This paper describes a six-legged robot based on the features of an agile insect, the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana. The robot is designed with insect-like leg structure and placement, and actuators that mimic muscles. A test leg is also described that shows how sensory feedback can serve as the basis of the control system for the robot in order for it to achieve the degree of adapt...

Abstract: Introduction: Periplaneta americana (P. americana), commonly known as the American cockroach, has shown multiple clinical benefits. Small Peptides from P. (SPPA) was found to have promising antioxidative effects in vitro. However, pharmacological benefits of SPPA demand further in-depth investigation underlying mechanism for its effect remain unexplored. Objectives: To evaluate on ova...

Poly(ADP-ribosylation) is a post-translational modification of nuclear proteins typical of most eukaryotic cells. This process participates in DNA replication and repair and is mainly regulated by two enzymes, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, which is responsible for the synthesis of polymers of ADP-ribose, and poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase, which performs polymer degradation. The aim of this wor...

Several authors have reported the presence of ascending giant fibres (AGF) in the nerve cord of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Pumphrey & Rawdon-Smith, 1937; Roeder, 1948; Hess, 1958). Roeder (1948) presented a scheme showing a synaptic link (in the 6th abdominal ganglion) between the cereal sensory neurones and the AGF, the latter then ascending as continuous fibres to the meta...