昆蟲組織依靠氣管系統獲得外界的氧氣，氣管系統始於體表的氣孔，延伸進入體內後分支為樹狀散布於各種組織當中。擴散，是目前最普遍用於解釋氣管輸送氧氣的機制，但是不透明的外骨骼和組織妨礙關於氣管輸送氧氣效率的量化分析。因此，本研究利用同步輻射X光斷層攝影術建構螢火蟲發光器氣管系統之三維影像，解析度可達 3 μm。此外，本研究亦利用穿透式 X 光顯微鏡拍攝直徑 0.2 μm 的微氣管影像，解析度可達 40 nm。
螢光反應場所位於發光器的發光細胞內，需要氧氣流入才會驅動發光。以往認為當發光器處於暗期，微氣管內可能具有體液阻止氧氣流進發光細胞；當細胞發亮時，體液被組織吸收，氧氣可擴散進入發光細胞。但是本研究對氣管系統進行量化分析發現，鄰近微氣管的粒線體可能會耗盡進入組織的氧氣。本研究另利用即時 X 光攝影，發現螢火蟲發光器的氣管有收縮的現象，顯示氣管可能利用強制對流輸送氣體。但是收縮現象侷限於小範圍，沒有擴及多處氣管，氣管分支亦沒遵循 Murray 定律，因此強制對流可能不是主要的呼吸機制。
螢火蟲發光是否消耗許多能量至今仍不是很清楚。由於氣管的表面積密度與該組織的氧氣消耗量具有相關性，分析顯示雄性發光器氣管表面積密度接近其他昆蟲的跳躍肌內的氣管。同時，本研究亦近距離量測三種螢火蟲的最大發光亮度，顯示每立方公分的發光組織，隨著性別與種類的不同，每秒需 5 ~ 40 nmol 的氧氣用於發光。這個數值範圍與蝗蟲幼蟲跳躍時需消耗的氧氣量部分重疊 (~ 40 nmol/cm3/sec)。因此，發光的最高耗氧量可能相當接近蝗蟲幼蟲的跳躍行為。

Most insect tissues acquire ambient oxygen through tracheal system, which originates from the exoskeleton, subdivides into bronchial conduits and spreads in whole insect body. Although diffusion has been proposed to be the primary mechanism for tracheal system to convey oxygen, difficulties in looking through the opaque exoskeletons and tissues impede quantitative analysis of tracheal capacity for oxygen diffusion. Here, we demonstrate three dimensional tracheal images in the lantern of fireflies with 3 μm spatial resolution by using synchrotron phase-contrast micro-tomography. Terminal branches of tracheal system (tracheoles) with a diameter of 0.2 μm were viewed by Transmission X-ray Microscopy (TXM) with spatial resolution of 40 nm.
Oxygen contained in lantern tracheal system plays important role in triggering bioluminescent reaction in light emission cells (photocytes). It was previously held that during lantern is at quenching state, oxygen going to the photocytes from tracheal system was presumed to be impeded by fluids contained in tracheoles. Bioluminescence was triggered by the withdrawal of tracheolar fluids by tracheolar and tracheal end cells, facilitating oxygen diffuse into the photocytes. However, quantitative analysis of lantern tracheal system shows that diffusion though, is extremely efficient in air-filled tracheas, oxygen may be used up by mitochondria adjacent to the tracheoles. Though tracheal compression in lantern implies forced convection as a mean of respiration, the limited compressing area and the inconsistence tracheal branches to Murray’s law make it unlikely for forced convection as primary mechanism.
Energy expenditure of firefly light emission was reported with distinct values. Analysis of tracheal surface density in male’s lantern shows that the gas exchange capacity is close to insect jumping muscles. Measurement of bioluminescent intensity in three species of fireflies at close distance shows that maximum bioluminescent intensity range from 0.75 ~ 4.6 x 1012 photons per second, which indicates volume-specific oxygen consumption rate of 5 ~ 40 nmol per cm3 tissue per second. The range is partially overlapped with that of jumping behavior of juvenile locusts (~ 40 nmol/cm3/sec). We thus suggest that lantern is a moderately active organ, varying with species and genders.

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