Biology of the Arthropod Cuticle

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XVI

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2. Introduction

   • Anthony C. Neville

   Pages 1-6

3. General Structure of Integument

   • Anthony C. Neville

   Pages 7-69

4. The Structural Macromolecules

   • Anthony C. Neville

   Pages 71-123

5. Molecular Cross-Linking

   • Anthony C. Neville

   Pages 125-158

6. Supermolecular Architecture

   • Anthony C. Neville

   Pages 159-234

7. Physiological Aspects

   • Anthony C. Neville

   Pages 235-305

8. Calcification

   • Anthony C. Neville

   Pages 307-318

9. Physical Properties

   • Anthony C. Neville

   Pages 319-374

10. Phylogenetical Aspects

    • Anthony C. Neville

    Pages 375-385

11. Outstanding Problems

    • Anthony C. Neville

    Pages 387-397

12. Back Matter

    Pages 399-450

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Mention the words 'arthropod cuticle' to most biologists and they usually provoke a glazed expression. This is because the cuticle is commonly regarded as an inert substance. It is hoped that this book will dispel this fallacy. The study of cuticle in its proper context now involves many of the wider aspects of biology which are currently in vogue (e. g. how a hormone like ecdyson induces a specific enzyme like dopa decarboxylase; the unsolved major problem of cell gradient and polarity; the involvement of cyclic AMP in hormonal mechanisms; the extra­ cellular control of cuticular enzymes, of the mechanical proper­ ties of cuticle structural proteins, and of the orientation of fibrous molecules; and the relation of chromosome puffing to the synthesis of specific proteins). Studies on cuticle demand a variety of techniques, and examples of the following are illustrated in this book (fluorescence, phase contrast, polariza­ tion and Nomarski interference microscopy; infrared absorp­ tion; transmission and scanning electron microscopy; autora­ diography analyzed by electron microscopy; negative staining in the electron microscope; optical diffraction, high angle X-ray diffraction, low angle X -ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction). I am well aware that the biophysical parts of this book are less incomplete than other aspects. A developmental biologist or a biochemist would have further elaborated other parts ofthe subject matter. Only one previous author, RICHARDS (1951)hasdevoted a book to arthropod cuticle.

• Cuticle
• Gliederfüsser
• Kutikula
• arthropods
• biology
• cell
• chromosome
• electron microscopy
• enzyme
• microscopy
• protein
• proteins
• Entomology

• Department of Zoology, University of Bristol, Bristol, Great Britain

  Anthony C. Neville

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