BIOSYNTHESIS OF ECDYSONE IN THE ISOLATED ABDOMEN OF THE SILKWORM, BOMBYX MORI*

During pupal-adult development of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, the ecdysone titer changes, exhibiting two maxima in the females: one on the second day of pupal development and the other just before adult emergence. During the second maximum, ecdysone accumulates in the ovaries. It also accumulates in isolated abdomens, which were prepared just after pupal ecdysis and induced to initiate adult development by injection with β-ecdysone. Several lines of evidence suggest that ecdysone is synthesized in the ovary itself.