Number of cells in diapausing silkworm embryos with different ploidies.

Abstract

The number of cells in diapausing silkworm embryos of different ploidies was determined. Thermal activation was shown to lead to a decrease in the number of cells in parthenogenetic embryos in comparison with normal, zygotic development. The number of cells in the embryo is a direct function of egg volume and a reciprocal function of embryo ploidy and is affected by the maternal genotype.