Follicle cell bridges in the mosquito ovary: syncytia formation and bridge morphology

In the mosquito, Culex pipiens quinqefasciatus, the follicle cells enveloping the oocyte and the nurse cells are connected by intercellular bridges. The bridges are formed by incomplete cytokinesis, and they persist for more than 30 h after their formation. Reconstructions from serial sections showed that one syncytial group contained at least 32 cells; several cells continued outside the series. The cells in a syncytium divide asynchronously; this results in an irregular, branched orgainzation. The bridges may be either embedded in the cytoplasm of the cells, or they may form an extracellular connexion.