DEpiFIG 3: Seam cells appear shrunken in dauer larvae.

Transverse sections from the mid-body regions of an L2 larva (left) and a dauer larva (right).
A&B. Transverse sections from the midbody region of an L2 (A) and dauer (B) larva. Hypodermal cells are outlined (black). Scale bar, 5 microns.
C&D. Enlarged hypodermal regions from A and B. The L2 hypodermal cell is filled with cisternae from rough endoplasmic reticulum, indicating active protein synthesis. In the dauer, cisternae are lacking in the hypodermal cell. The dauer hypodermal cell contains plentiful lipid droplets (L). The dauer cuticle is much thicker than in the L2. Seam cells are shaded (brown). Scale bars, 1 micron. E. Enlargement of the seam cells in the L2 (left) and dauer (right) larva. Adherens junctions (aj) reinforce the apical borders between the seam cells and the hypodermal cells in both larval stages. Similar to the hypodermis, the dauer seam cells contain prominent lipid stores (L). (Image source: L2 [D. Riddle] N2 28-14 1627; dauer [D. Riddle] 50-2-1 1362.)