Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Measuring Hypopharyngeal Gland Acinus Size in Honey Bee Apis mellifera Workers
Published on: September 14, 2018
Different sterol compositions of honey bee Apis mellifera L. indicate role-dependent sterol metabolism
Makoto Ito1, Hiroki Kohno2, Hitomi Seike1
1Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan.
Abstract:
Honey bee Apis mellifera L. adults exhibit a sterol composition dominated by phytosterols such as 24-methylene-cholesterol and β-sitosterol, while most insects possess cholesterol as a primary sterol. To examine whether sterol composition varies by social roles, we analyzed nurse bees and foragers using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The analysis showed the four phytosterols, with 24-methylene-cholesterol being predominant. Honey, a dietary source for honey bees, contained more campesterol than in the whole body, suggesting possible metabolic use. Few significant differences in sterol compositions among tissues indicated that sterol metabolism is not tissue specific. However, social roles influenced different sterol compositions; nurse bees had higher β-sitosterol and isofucosterol, while foragers had more 24-methylene-cholesterol. Additionally, nurse bees retained more 24-methylene-cholesterol in their midgut. These findings suggest that sterol metabolism is influenced by social roles, probably due to differences in diet, absorption, or retention, rather than tissue dependent metabolism.
Related Concept Videos
Classifying Matter by Composition
According to its composition, the matter can be classified into two broad categories — pure substances and mixtures.
A pure substance is a form of matter that has a constant composition throughout with uniform properties. For example, any sample of sucrose has the same composition and same physical properties, such as melting point, color, and sweetness, regardless of the source from which it is isolated.
A mixture is composed of two or...
What is Metabolism?
Frequency-dependent Selection
Composite Bodies
Composite bodies have widespread applications in mechanical engineering, from automobiles to aircraft to rockets. For example, an automobile wheel comprises...
Composition of Blood
Formed elements constitute the remaining 45% of the blood volume. These...
Drug Dependence

