Jackson Estuarine Laboratory
Identifiable nitrergic neurons in the central nervous system of the nudibranch Melibe leonina localized with NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry and nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous intercellular messenger produced by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). In this study, we used two different techniques—nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry and NOS immunocytochemistry—to demonstrate that NOS is present in a pair of identifiable cells in the central nervous system of the nudibranch Melibe leonina. In the Melibe brain, NADPH-d histochemistry revealed only a single pair of bilaterally symmetrical cells in the cerebropleural ganglia. NOS activity also was found in the neuropil of the cerebral, pedal, and buccal ganglia; in the tentacles of the oral hood; in the sensory end of the rhinophores; and in the epithelial tissue of the mouth, preputium, and glans penis. Immunocytochemistry using NOS antisera corroborated the results of the NADPH-d histochemistry by staining the same two cells in the cerebropleural ganglia. Each of these identifiable nitrergic neurons projects into the ipsilateral pedal ganglion. Because the pedal ganglia play a critical role in the control of locomotion, our results provide morphological evidence suggesting that NO may influence swimming or crawling in Melibe leonina.
Department
Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, Biological Sciences
Publication Date
7-20-2001
Journal Title
Journal of Comparative Neurology
Publisher
Wiley
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.1270
Document Type
Article
Rights
© 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Recommended Citation
Newcomb, J. M. and W. H. Watson III. 2001. Identifiable nitrergic neurons in the central nervous system of the nudibranch Melibe leonina, localized with NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry and nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity. J. Comp. Neurol. 437: 70-78. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.1270