TY - JOUR
T1 - Antho-RFamide-containing neurons in the primitive nervous system of the anthozoan Renilla koellikeri.
AU - Pernet, Vincent
AU - Anctil, Michel
AU - Grimmelikhuijzen, Cornelis J P
N1 - Keywords: Animals; Anthozoa; Feeding Behavior; Nervous System; Neurons; Neuropeptides; Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - The neuropeptide Antho-RFamide is extremely abundant in Renilla koellikeri (sea pansy), a representative of the cnidarians (octocorallians) considered to be closest to the stem ancestors of metazoans with nervous systems. Therefore, a knowledge of the distribution of Antho-RFamide-containing neurons in this species would contribute to our understanding of the early evolution of nervous systems. Using antisera raised against RFamide and FMRFamide, we detected immunostaining in numerous neurons throughout the nervous system of the sea pansy. The antisera revealed ectodermal nerve-nets on the upper and lower sides of the colony and on the oral side of tentacles, in the oral disk, and in the pharynx of feeding polyps. Neurons were immunostained also in the mesogleal nerve-net of feeding polyps and in the through-conducting mesogleal nerve-net of the colonial mass. Varying densities of stained neurons were observed in the different compartments of the endoderm: muscular walls of the feeding and water circulation polyps, mesenteric filaments and their derived follicles containing either ovocytes or spermatophores, in the endodermal channels connecting the different compartments of the colony, and in circular muscle of the peduncle. The distribution of immunostained neurons suggests that they play important roles in feeding, reproduction, neuromuscular transmission, and in neuro-neuronal transmission coordinating the different parts of the colony.
AB - The neuropeptide Antho-RFamide is extremely abundant in Renilla koellikeri (sea pansy), a representative of the cnidarians (octocorallians) considered to be closest to the stem ancestors of metazoans with nervous systems. Therefore, a knowledge of the distribution of Antho-RFamide-containing neurons in this species would contribute to our understanding of the early evolution of nervous systems. Using antisera raised against RFamide and FMRFamide, we detected immunostaining in numerous neurons throughout the nervous system of the sea pansy. The antisera revealed ectodermal nerve-nets on the upper and lower sides of the colony and on the oral side of tentacles, in the oral disk, and in the pharynx of feeding polyps. Neurons were immunostained also in the mesogleal nerve-net of feeding polyps and in the through-conducting mesogleal nerve-net of the colonial mass. Varying densities of stained neurons were observed in the different compartments of the endoderm: muscular walls of the feeding and water circulation polyps, mesenteric filaments and their derived follicles containing either ovocytes or spermatophores, in the endodermal channels connecting the different compartments of the colony, and in circular muscle of the peduncle. The distribution of immunostained neurons suggests that they play important roles in feeding, reproduction, neuromuscular transmission, and in neuro-neuronal transmission coordinating the different parts of the colony.
U2 - 10.1002/cne.20108
DO - 10.1002/cne.20108
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 15048688
SN - 0021-9967
VL - 472
SP - 208
EP - 220
JO - Journal of Comparative Neurology
JF - Journal of Comparative Neurology
IS - 2
ER -