scholarly journals Serotonin modulates muscle function in the medicinal leech Hirudo verbana

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 885-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon P. Gerry ◽  
David J. Ellerby

The body wall muscles of sanguivorous leeches power mechanically diverse behaviours: suction feeding, crawling and swimming. These require longitudinal muscle to exert force over an extremely large length range, from 145 to 46 per cent of the mean segmental swimming length. Previous data, however, suggest that leech body wall muscle has limited capacity for force production when elongated. Serotonin (5-HT) alters the passive properties of the body wall and stimulates feeding. We hypothesized that 5-HT may also have a role in allowing force production in elongated muscle by changing the shape of the length–tension relationship (LTR). LTRs were measured from longitudinal muscle strips in vitro in physiological saline with and without the presence of 10 µM 5-HT. The LTR was much broader than previously measured for leech muscle. Rather than shifting the LTR, 5-HT reduced passive muscle tonus and increased active stress at all lengths. In addition to modulating leech behaviour and passive mechanical properties, 5-HT probably enhances muscle force and work production during locomotion and feeding.

1960 ◽  
Vol s3-101 (54) ◽  
pp. 149-176
Author(s):  
R. B. CLARK ◽  
M. E. CLARK

Nephtys lacks circular body-wall muscles. The chief antagonists of the longitudinal muscles are the dorso-ventral muscles of the intersegmental body-wall. The worm is restrained from widening when either set of muscles contracts by the combined influence of the ligaments, some of the extrinsic parapodial muscles, and possibly, to a limited extent, by the septal muscles. Although the septa are incomplete, they can and do form a barrier to the transmission of coelomic fluid from one segment to the next under certain conditions, particularly during eversion of the proboscis. Swimming is by undulatory movements of the body but the distal part of the parapodia execute a power-stroke produced chiefly by the contraction of the acicular muscles. It is suspected that the extrinsic parapodial muscles, all of which are inserted in the proximal half of the parapodium, serve to anchor the parapodial wall at the insertion of the acicular muscles and help to provide a rigid point of insertion for them. Burrowing is a cyclical process involving the violent eversion of the proboscis which makes a cavity in the sand. The worm is prevented from slipping backwards by the grip the widest segments have on the sides of the burrow. The proboscis is retracted and the worm crawls forward into the cavity it has made. The cycle is then repeated. Nephtys possesses a unique system of elastic ligaments of unusual structure. The anatomy of the system is described. The function of the ligaments appears to be to restrain the body-wall and parapodia from unnecessary and disadvantageous dilatations during changes of body-shape, and to serve as shock-absorbers against the high, transient, fluid pressures in the coelom, which are thought to accompany the impact of the proboscis against the sand when the worm is burrowing. From what is known of its habits, Nephtys is likely to undertake more burrowing than most other polychaetes.


1979 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 273-280
Author(s):  
B. S. WONG ◽  
DONALD M. MILLER ◽  
T. T. DUNAGAN

Body wall muscles of an acanthocephalan Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus were studied by means of scanning and light microscopy and intracellular recording of potentials. Three types of spontaneous potential changes were found: larger (L) potentials which usually exhibited overshoot and were as large as 65 mV; smaller symmetric (A) potentials approximately 15 mV in amplitude; and even smaller asymmetric (S) potentials which sometimes reached 10 mV. The potentials recorded depended upon the position of the electrode in the anterior-posterior, as well as the medialateral, axis. Tetrodotoxin eliminated L but not S potentials. Ouabain lengthened the time for depolarization of L potentials and depolarized the membrane potentials. It is suggested that the rete system activates the body wall muscles in Acanthocephala.


Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 667-681 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.Y. Goh ◽  
T. Bogaert

As part of a general study of genes specifying a pattern of muscle attachments, we identified and genetically characterised mutants in the mup-1 gene. The body wall muscles of early stage mup-1 embryos have a wild-type myofilament pattern but may extend ectopic processes. Later in embryogenesis, some body wall muscles detach from the hypodermis. Genetic analysis suggests that mup-1 has both a maternal and a zygotic component and is not required for postembryonic muscle growth and attachment. mup-1 mutants are suppressed by mutations in several genes that encode extracellular matrix components. We propose that mup-1 may encode a cell surface/extracellular matrix molecule required both for the positioning of body wall muscle attachments in early embryogenesis and the subsequent maintenance of these attachments to the hypodermis until after cuticle synthesis.


1991 ◽  
Vol 158 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. I. Syed ◽  
W. Winlow

1. The morphology and electrophysiology of a newly identified bilateral pair of interneurones in the central nervous system of the pulmonate pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis is described. 2. These interneurones, identified as left and right pedal dorsal 11 (L/RPeD11), are electrically coupled to each other as well as to a large number of foot and body wall motoneurones, forming a fast-acting neural network which coordinates the activities of foot and body wall muscles. 3. The left and right sides of the body wall of Lymnaea are innervated by left and right cerebral A cluster neurones. Although these motoneurones have only ipsilateral projections, they are indirectly electrically coupled to their contralateral homologues via their connections with L/RPeD11. Similarly, the activities of left and right pedal G cluster neurones, which are known to be involved in locomotion, are also coordinated by L/RPeD11. 4. Selective ablation of both neurones PeD11 results in the loss of coordination between the bilateral cerebral A clusters. 5. Interneurones L/RPeD11 are multifunctional. In addition to coordinating motoneuronal activity, they make chemical excitatory connections with heart motoneurones. They also synapse upon respiratory motoneurones, hyperpolarizing those involved in pneumostome opening (expiration) and depolarizing those involved in pneumostome closure (inspiration). 6. An identified respiratory interneurone involved in pneumostome closure (visceral dorsal 4) inhibits L/RPeD11 together with all their electrically coupled follower cells. 7. Both L/RPeD11 have strong excitatory effects on another pair of electrically coupled neurones, visceral dorsal 1 and right parietal dorsal 2, which have previously been shown to be sensitive to changes in the partial pressure of environmental oxygen (PO2). 8. Although L/RPeD11 participate in whole-body withdrawal responses, electrical stimulation applied directly to these neurones was not sufficient to induce this behaviour.


1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Skaling ◽  
B. M. MacKinnon

The histology, ultrastructure, and absorptive capabilities of the body wall and intestine of the juvenile stages of Nectonema sp. (Nematomorpha: Nectonematoidea) that parasitize the shrimp Pandalus montagui in Passamaquoddy Bay, New Brunswick, were examined using histological, histochemical, ultrastructural, and in vitro labeling techniques. The body wall consists of a multilayered cuticle that rests on, and is produced by, a thin cellular hypodermis. The intestinal tract consists of a minute mouth, a cuticularized oesophagus, and a blind-ending intestine consisting of a lumen surrounded at different places by two, three, or four elongated cells. These cells consists of a maximum of two "absorptive" cells with microvillar luminal surfaces, and a maximum of two "secretory" cells, which contain numerous electron-dense granules. Acid and alkaline phosphatases and nonspecific esterases were detected in the outer layers of the body wall (cuticle and hypodermis) and in the intestinal cells. Such enzymes appear to be related to absorption of nutrient substances. Autoradiography experiments using [3H]leucine showed that following incubation in [3H]leucine-labeled seawater, leucine was concentrated in the hypodermis and the intestinal cells. Similar results were obtained when worms were incubated first in [3H]leucine-labeled seawater and then chased in nonlabeled L-leucine. Uptake of [3H]leucine was inhibited by L-leucine when worms were incubated in a seawater solution of [3H]leucine and excess L-leucine. In vitro absorption of [3H]leucine provides evidence that a carrier-mediated transport system operates across both the cuticle and the intestine of Nectonema sp.


Nematology ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Holland ◽  
Keith Williams ◽  
Alamgir Khan

AbstractThe in vitro interaction of Paecilomyces lilacinus strain 251 with eggs, 3rd and 4th stage juveniles and adult females of Meloidogyne javanica was studied. Eggs of all stages, including those containing unhatched juveniles, were infected by P. lilacinus. Infection of eggs occurred following flattening of hyphae to the egg surface and formation of appressoria. Sometimes these occurred within extensive networks of hyphae of the egg surface. Hyphae later grew out of the egg to continue growing or form conidiophores. Third and 4th stage juveniles and adult females were readily infected, with hyphae and conidiophores penetrating the body wall. Die Infektion von Meloidogyne javanica durch Paecilomyces lilacinus - Es wurden die in vitro auftretenden Wechselwirkungen zwischen Paecilomyces lilacinus Stamm 251 und den Eiern, J3, J4 und adulten Weibchen von Meloidogyne javanica untersucht. Eier wurden in allen Stadien von P. lilacinus infiziert einschliesslich der ungeschlupfte J2 enthaltenden Eier. Die Infektion erfolgte anschliessend an eine Abflachung von Hyphen auf der Eioberflache und eine Appressorienbildung. Manchmal erschienen diese innerhalb eines ausgedehnten Netzwerkes von Hyphen auf der Eioberflache. Spater wuchsen Hyphen aus dem Ei heraus, wuchsen weiter oder bildeten Konidiophoren. Juvenile des dritten oder vierten Stadiums und adulte Weibchen wurden ohne weiteres befallen, wobei Hyphen und Konidiophoren durch die Korperwand drangen.


Author(s):  
João Ricardo Almeida Soares ◽  
Airton Pereira e SIlva ◽  
Isabelle Guimarães ◽  
Ana Luisa Oliveira ◽  
Claudia Regina Faccini ◽  
...  

Because of the high social impact of Food allergy, it is of great importance to correctly diagnose this disease using reliable tests. Knowledge of the allergenicity properties of proteins, how they react in the body and in diagnostic tests is necessary to adequately assess the potential immunogenicity of both natural foods and those produced through biotechnological processes. Thus, our aim was to analyze the factors that influence the protein extraction of foods in terms of, immunogenicity and immunoassays sensitivity. Peanut proteins were extracted using four distinct extraction buffers (physiological saline, tris buffer, borate buffer with and without β-mercaptoethanol), the protein concentration was determined by the Lowry method and polyacrylamide electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to compare the protein profile of each extract. The immunogenicity of each extract was verified by sensitizing two mouse strains (Balb/c and C57/BL6) with solution containing 100μg of the extracted proteins and determined by ELISA. Results show that extraction with the distinct buffers resulted in protein solutions with different yields and profiles. The immunogenicity of the different extracts also demonstrated distinct patterns that varied depending on the extraction methods, mouse strain and in-vitro test. Immunoreactivity varied in accordance to the protein extract used to coat the microtitration plates. In conclusion, the protein profile in the extracts is critically influenced by the salt composition and pH of the extraction buffers, this in turn influences both in vivo immunogenicity and in vitro immunoreactivity.


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4341 (2) ◽  
pp. 243
Author(s):  
YUSUKE YAMANA ◽  
HAYATO TANAKA

A new apodid sea cucumber, Chiridota impatiens sp. nov., is described from the intertidal zone of Okinawa, Japan, and C. rigida Semper, 1867 is also described from the intertidal zone of Wakayama, as new to Japan. C. impatiens sp. nov. is approximately 60–70 mm, with 12 tentacles and 4–7 pairs of digits per tentacle, red or reddish brown in living specimens. The tentacles contain curved rod ossicles, with spinous processes and many branches in C. rigida, however, in C. impatiens sp. nov., the curved rod ossicles are crescent-shaped, sometimes distally, with spinous processes and rarely a few branches on the circumference. In both species, the body wall contains flattened rod ossicles, mostly present along the longitudinal muscle and mesentery, curved rod ossicles primarily in the body wall, and wheel ossicles only in the wheel-papillae. In C. rigida, the contents of the wheel-papillae form a hemispherical sack-shaped structures, in which the teeth-side of the wheel ossicles mostly faces towards the outside of the body. In C. impatiens sp. nov., the contents of the wheel-papillae form a cord-shaped structure (present in both preserved and living specimens), in which the teeth-side of the wheel ossicles faces various directions, and that can be induced to break through the skin of the papillae if stimulated in living specimens. 


1995 ◽  
Vol 198 (12) ◽  
pp. 2491-2499 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Layland ◽  
I S Young ◽  
J D Altringham

The influence of length on work production was investigated for rat papillary muscles using the work loop technique. Active and passive length-force relationships were first determined under isometric conditions and the length for maximum force production (Lmax) was derived. Starting from different lengths within the physiological range, a series of work loops was generated using the stimulation phase shift, strain amplitude and cycle frequency previously found to be optimal for power output at 37 degrees C. The relationship between muscle length and net work was used to determine the length at which work output was maximal (Lopt). In order to examine the dynamic passive properties of the muscles, unstimulated muscles were subjected to the same regime of sinusoidal oscillation as used for the active loops. From the hysteresis loops, lengthening work (work done to extend the passive muscle), passive shortening work (work returned during shortening) and net energy loss (hysteresis) could be measured. The decline in net work production at lengths greater than 95% Lmax could largely be attributed to the rapid and non-linear increase in muscle stiffness and the increase in net energy loss over this range of lengths. The physiological significance of the length-work relationship is considered and the mechanical properties of active and passive papillary muscles are discussed with reference to sarcomere length and cardiac muscle ultrastructure.


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