• Animal cells and systems
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2003

The principal fibers used in constructing the cocoon in the garden spider, Argiope aurantia, are large-diameter fibers developed from tubuliform glands and small-diameter fibers presumed to be spun by the aciniform silk glands. Scanning electron micrographs of the large-diameter fibers on both surfaces of the cocoon clearly reveal their fine structural differences. While the silk fibers on the inner surface have smooth and homogeneous appearances, each fiber on the outer surface represents a multicomponent internal structure. Examination of each fibers using transmission electron microscope also provides additional evidence that the multicomponent fibers contain numerous electron lucent fibrils embedded in an amorphous electron dense matrix. It has been also revealed that two types of secretory granules presumed to be the precursors of tubuliform fibers are closely related to the production of distinct coloration in luminal contents - brownish and yellowish components. Moreover, these electron-dense granules, possibly precursor of fibrillar component, and electron-lucent granules, possibly precursor of matrix component, are densely packed and remain close to each other without fusion. It is critical evidence that the individual tubuliform fiber is not only heterogeneous and multicomponent but also takes place in a variety at manners throughout the length of the gland.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2013

Silkworm-derived silk materials which contain 45 to 55% protein (18 amino acids, including 8 essential amino acids) have free radical-scavenging activities. In the present study, we investigated the whitening and anti-aging effects of silkworm gland under various conditions with B16F1 melanoma cells and human dermal fibroblasts. To evaluate the toxicity of soluble gland hydrolysate (SGH), mouse-derived B16F1 melanoma cells were treated with 0.2~5 mg/mL, cytotoxicity was not observed at all concentrations. The tyrosinase and elastase activities were significantly decreased as dosage levels of SGH increased. In addition, cell death was decreased by treated with SGH and antioxidative activity was the most effective in the SGH treatment. These findings suggest that SGH may be used as a potential functional biomaterial in having the skin whitening effect and anti-aging activity by inhibition of tyrosinase and elastase activities.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.4
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• pp.85-95
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• 1965

This report is to observe the amino acid composition at silk fibroins among varieties by using paper chromatography method and to study how they may concern with the genetical problem and the biochemical synthesis of the fibroin in silkgland. The results reached are as follows: 1. The amino acid composition of silk fibroin among varieties were observed as similar with each other on the paper chromatogram pictures. 2. In spite of the results of the amino acid composition analysis was similar with other workers results, there was some difference among varieties in numerical analysis. 3. The amino acid composition was considered to concern somewhat with the genetic problem of silkworm. 4. Some nutritive amino acids are considered to related with the worm growth more than the silk fibroin. 5. The paper chromatography of this report showed an unknown amino acid which was not found before in specific species silk fibroin and it is imagined as Hydroxyproline in view of other worker's graphy result. 6. The biochemical synthesis mechanism of silk fibroin in the silk gland, neither Stepwise process nor Template, could stand with the results of this paper satisfactory one side.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.7
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• pp.65-74
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• 1967

This work has been carried out to find the fundamental reasons of raw silk size nonuniformity by studying with the physical nature and its bave formation through the worm spinnerate with anatomical device. Mean time, the uniformity improving method is also attached to this paper after throughfall theoretical study. 1. According to the anatomical study of the silkworm spinnerate, the physical form decides the fiber cross section and also spinns more finner size as the spinning is continued collaborating with the muscle pressure and decrease of liquid silk in the silk gland. 2. The bave size deviation of the Korean cocoons have shown a little difference among the varieties, but, they are conclued as 0.58 denier in average which caused some size deviation of the raw silk inevitably. 3. The raw silk nonuniformity increases when the cocoon have size is not suitable with the proposed raw silk size. 4. The nonuniformity is also increased very much during the filature process in case of poor technical work, but even if we do our best, the best result is found as 30 percent improvement which is still worser than the natural cocoon size deviation. 5. It is required to be careful for the selection of silkworm variety in order to improve the nonuniformity of raw silk so that the bave size be suitable for the proposed silk. 6. The definite size silk reeling method could made better uniform silk, 20 percent at least, than the definite cocoon number silk reeling method. 7. A newly developed denier(21d) gauge was applied for the multiends type silk reeling machine which is widely used in Korea, and the result of the method showed 1.30 denier size deviation, but, in case of no use of it was 1.57 denier size deviation, that is, it could improve two grades more than the normal reeling method.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.180-185
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• 1996

Biosynthesis tracing of the silk fibroin in Bombyx mori silkworm was examined in vivo with isotopic [1-13C] Gly. labeling by nuclear magnetic resonance method. The [1-13C] Gly. labeled silk fibroin yielded very sharp 13C NMR signal in the posterior silk gland as well as in aqueous solution and the amound of [1-13C] Gly. labeled signal in the silkworm increased gradually and rapidly to 5-th day of fifth instar. However, the decomposition or decrease of the [1-13C] Gly. labeled signal occured from 5-th to 9-th day of fifth instar unexpectedly. These findings suggest that a relative amount of ${\alpha}$-helical portion or amorphous silk II portion was formed without any further signal from 6-th day of fifth instar to pupation. Through peak separation of orientation spectrum, between the fiber axis and the molecular bond direction, N-H bond in Bombyx mori silk fiber as well as the orientation distribution around the silk fibroin axis were determined and two kinds of peaks were also obtained from this orientation spectrum.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.3
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• pp.1-11
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• 1963

This treatise is to set up a fundamental condition of checking silk lousiness and to set up a new improving method of cocoon bave lousiness after super refining treatment. It is also studied whether silk lousiness can be eliminated through the observation of the silk gland, or the lousiness can be able to improve through such a study. The conclusions obtained in this paper are as follows. 1. Silk lousiness is able to be observed most properly when the light direction and the fiber direction are parallel in plan view of the silk cloth and the greater the angle between them is, the less the lousiness is observed. When, however, the angle is greater than some specific angle(30$^{\circ}$), no more lousiness is observed. This specific angle is named by the author as Lousiness Horizontal Critical Angle. 2. Silk lousiness can be observed when the angle of light incidence against the silk cloth is six degrees, while the larger the angle is, the less the lousiness is observed. When, however, the angle is greater than same specific angle(45$^{\circ}$) the lousiness disappears. Such a specific angle is named by the author as Lousiness Vertical Critical Angle. 3. The best textile composition to decrease lousiness defect is plan weave, while twill and satin weave show more lousiness with the same silk fiber. 4. Lousiness was classified as Lousiness A, B, ana C of which A was the general lousiness, B was the group type, and C was the glucose type and the standard photographs for the lousiness grading of these types were prepared. 5. The proper soap-refining hours of silk for lousiness test was eight hours. 6. The greater the difference of fiber diameter between the cocoon single bave and the splitend was, the more lousiness was composed. The normal splitends were measured as 1/4-1/5 of the main fiber. 7. The lousiness was found at the cocoon shape ends more than other parts, and found at the middle cocoon layer than other layer which was imagined to be as a result of poor uniform bave spinning of silk worm. 8. Female cocoon had more lousiness than the male cocoon. 9. It was found that there was a great possibility to have the splitends through the observation of the anatomical silkgland, and the author reached a conclusion that the lousiness can be improved to a certain degree only by the elimination of abnormal silk gland from the breeding aspects. 10. The cocoon bave of the offspring after super refining lousiness test and selection showed more improved lousiness defect than that of the parents.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2001

The effect of topical application with 200,400 and 600 $\mu$g/ml 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the fifth larval stadium of the silkworm, B. mori, was analyzed. Larvae treated during fifth larval stadium enhanced larval, cocoon and adult parameters. The larval period was significantly decreased with increase in silk gland weight at 400 and 600 $\mu$g/ml, male cocoon weight and shel1 weight in all the treated groups and filament length and weight at 200 $\mu$g/ml treated group. Length of the ovariole, eggs per ovariole and hatching percentage increased significantly in all the treated groups when compared with those of the carrier control. This suggests that the plant growth regulator 2,4-D in addition to affecting silk production also affect reproductive performance.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 1989

Ultrastructure of the excretory duct of the small ampullate gland in the orb web spider, Nephila clavata L. Koch are studied with light and electron microscopes. The small ampullate glands, located near the midline portion of the abdominal cavity, are connected with the spigots(large spinning tubes) on the middle spinnerets and composed of three parts which are the excretory duct, the storage sac and the convoluted tail. The excretory duct of this gland is enclosed by a thin layer of the outer connective tissues. By the morphology of the apical cuticles and internal textures of the epithelial cells, the duct is subdivided into two regions which are proximal duct region near the sac and distal duct region near the spinnerets. At the distal region of the ducts, the subcuticle which had the function of water removal form the progenetive silk material is well developed, whereas at the proximal region this cuticle disappeared and instead of these, endocuticle is developed. Moreover the epithelium of the distal duct region is composed of columnar epithelial cells, but at the proximal region the epithelium is changed to squamous or cuboidal forms. In the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells, rough endoplasmic reticula, Golgi comlexes and large secretory vesicles related to the production of the cuticular materials are well developed. And between the adjacent epithelial cells, specialized septate junction and desmosomes are formed along the plasma membrane.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Entomolohy Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.113-113
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.83-83
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• 2004