Wound Healing in the Gut of the Cockroach Periplaneta

Abstract

Incisions in the fore-, rnid-, or hindgut of the cockroach Periplaneta heal in a large percentage of operations. The processes of healing are described. They involve firstly the fonnation of wound tissue from haemocytes, and later the participation of the epithelium. Operations performed on nymphs do not appear to hinder moulting, but the wounds are usually still conspicuous in the resulting adults, except in operations on the midgut, in which healing may be complete. Comparisons are made between the processes of wound healing, neoplasms, and the normal changes of the epithelium at moulting.