ACutFIG 3: Cuticle growth in the midbody region during aging.

The cuticle’s cortical and basal zones continue to grow through adulthood.
A. Adult hermaphrodite with arrow indicating approximate position of midbody sections shown in (D, E and F).
B. Diagram of cross-section through the hermaphrodite midbody with arrow showing approximate position of sections shown in (D, E and F).
C. Diagram showing expansion of the cuticle’s cortical (orange) and basal (black) zones between days 2 and 15 of adulthood.
D, E and F. Transverse TEM sections of the cuticle overlying the body wall muscle in the midbody region in young (day 2) adults (D), middle-aged (day 7) adults (E) and older (day 15) adults (F). The sizes of the cuticle zones are shown beside each image; cortical (orange), medial (purple), basal (black). m, muscle cell mitochondrion. (Image sources: D, N506 [D. Hall] N278; E, upper N825 [D. Hall] C0395, lower N821 [D. Hall] 4994; F, upper N816 [D. Hall] H0012, lower H0016.) Images were scaled relative to the body muscle myofilaments which remain stable during adulthood.

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