“…The ovary of the honey bee queen is polytrophic (multiple trophocytes per follicle) and meroistic (produce nutritive trophocytes and ova). Within each follicle, the trophocytes (nurse cells) (Figure 3A-4) are attached by intercellular bridges and connected to the oocyte by the trophic stalk (a narrow opening) (Figure 3A-3) which allows the transport of nutrients, RNA, and ribonucleoproteins from the trophocytes to the ovum during maturation (Figure 3A-1) as described in previous studies (Berger & da Cruz-Landim, 2009;Bili nski & Jaglarz, 1999;Cruz-Landim & Patr ıcio, 2010;Snodgrass, 1985;Tanaka et al, 2006). After transferring their cytoplasmic contents to the developing ovum, the trophocytes undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) (Figure 3A-7) as found in earlier studies (Mpakou et al, 2006;Patr ıcio & Cruz-Landim, 2008).…”