Pattern of differentiated nerve cells in hydra is determined by precursor migration

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 569-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Hager ◽  
C.N. David

The nervous system of the fresh water polyp hydra is built up as a nerve net spread over the whole body, with higher densities in the head and the foot. In adult hydra, as a result of continuous growth, new nerve cell differentiation takes place continuously. The pattern of nerve cell differentiation and the role of nerve cell precursor migration in establishing the pattern have been observed in vivo by vitally labelling precursor cells with DiI. The results indicate that nerve cell precursors arise directly from stem cells, complete a final cell cycle and divide, giving rise to two daughter cells, which differentiate into nerve cells. A subpopulation of the nerve cell precursors are migratory for a brief interval at the onset of the terminal cell cycle, then complete the cell cycle and divide at the site of differentiation. Labelling small patches of tissue in the head, body column and peduncle/foot with DiI indicated that formation of nerve cell precursors was nearly constant at all three positions. However, at least half of the labelled precursors in the body column migrated to the head or foot before differentiating; by contrast, precursors in head and foot differentiated in situ without significant migration. This redistribution leads to a net increase of nerve cell precursors in head and foot compared to body column and thus to the higher density of nerve cells in these regions.

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (10) ◽  
pp. 1678-1689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamu Koizumi

Hydra belongs to the class Hydrozoa in the phylum Cnidaria. Hydra is a model animal whose cellular and developmental data are the most abundant among cnidarians. Hence, I discuss the developmental neurobiology of hydra. The hydra nerve net is a mosaic of neural subsets expressing a specific neural phenotype. The developmental dynamics of the nerve cells are unique. Neurons are produced continuously by differentiation from interstitial multipotent stem cells. These neurons are continuously displaced outwards along with epithelial cells and are sloughed off at the extremities. However, the spatial distribution of each neural subset is maintained. Mechanisms related to these phenomena, i.e., the position-dependent changes in neural phenotypes, are proposed. Nerve-net formation in hydra can be examined in various experimental systems. The conditions of nerve-net formation vary among the systems, so we can clarify the control factors at the cellular level by comparing nerve-net formation in different systems. By large-scale screening of peptide signal molecules, peptide molecules related to nerve-cell differentiation have been identified. The LPW family, composed of four members sharing common N-terminal L(or I)PW, inhibits nerve-cell differentiation in hydra. In contrast, Hym355 (FPQSFLPRG-NH3) activates nerve differentiation in hydra. LPWs are epitheliopeptides, whereas Hym355 is a neuropeptide. In the hypostome of hydra, a unique neuronal structure, the nerve ring, is observed. This structure shows the nerve association of neurites. Exceptionally, the tissue containing the nerve ring shows no tissue displacement during the tissue flow that involves the whole body. The neurons in the nerve ring show little turnover, although nerve cells in all other regions turn over continuously. These associations and quiet dynamics lead me to think that the nerve ring has features similar to those of the central nervous system in higher animals.


1981 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-98
Author(s):  
S. Heimfeld ◽  
H.R. Bode

The interstitial cell of hydra is a multipotent stem cell, which produces nerve cells as one of its differentiated cell types. The amount of interstitial cell commitment to nerve differentiation varies in an axially dependent pattern along the body column. The distribution of nerve cell density has the same equivalent axial pattern. These facts have led to speculation that the regulation of nerve cell commitment is dictated by the nerve cell density. We examined this question by assaying interstitial cell commitment behaviour in 2 cases where the normal nerve cell density of the tissue had been perturbed: (1) in epithelial hydra in which no nerve cells were present; and (2) in hydra derived from regenerating-tip isolates in which the nerve density was increased nearly 4-fold. We found no evidence of regulation of nerve cell commitment in response to the abnormal nerve cell densities. However, the typical axial pattern of nerve commitment was still obtained in both sets of experiments, which suggests that interstitial cell commitment to nerve differentiation is dependent on some parameter of axial location that is not associated directly with the local nerve cell density.


1978 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
M.S. Yaross ◽  
H.R. Bode

The interstitial cell (i-cell) of hydra, a multipotent stem cell, produces two classes of differentiated cell types, nerve cells and nematocytes, throughout asexual growth. Using a new assay, the regulation of i-cell commitment to either nerve cell or nematocyte differentiation was investigated. This assay was used to determine the fractions of i-cells differentiating into nerve cells and nematocyte precursors in a variety of in vivo cellular milieus produced by hydroxyurea treatment, differential feeding, and reaggregation of dissociated cells. Nematocyte commitment was found to be positively correlated with the size of the i-cell population and independent of the axial position of the i-cells along the body column. This indicates that i-cell commitment to nematocyte differentiation may be regulated by feedback from the i-cell population. Nerve cell commitment was found to be correlated with regions of high nerve cell density. This suggests that nerve cell commitment is regulated by feedback from the nerve cell population or is dependent on axial position. Implications of such mechanisms for the regulation of i-cell population size and distribution are discussed.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-308
Author(s):  
Derek Harwood-Nash ◽  
Herman Grossman ◽  
Alvin Felman ◽  
John Kirkpatrick ◽  
Leonard Swischuk

Computerized tomography (CT), a technique conceptualized by Oldendorf in 19611 and developed by Hounsfield2 of EMI-Tronics Inc. (EMI) Central Research Laboratories, has proven to be a successful innovation in neuroradiology. Reviews by Ambrose3 in England and by Baker et al.4 and by New et al.5 in the United States have clearly demonstrated the value of this new modality in neuroradiological diagnosis. In 1975 Houser et al.6 and Harwood-Nash et al.7 provided the initial clinical and radiological data about CT in infants and children. More recently this technique has been extended to the study of tissues and organs in the body other than those in the head. This has been accomplished by modification of the original machine into a whole-body CT system. Early reviews by Ledley et al.8 and by Alfidi et al.9 suggest a significant potential for diagnosis of lesions in the abdomen, pelvis, and thorax. The advantages of CT are that it is less invasive than standard special diagnostic radiological procedures and that for the first time it provides in vivo information regarding the content and the characteristics of tissue composing organs and masses. DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT In conventional radiography an image is made on radiographic film by an attenuated X-ray beam. In passing through a core of tissue, each ray of the beam is attenuated as it is absorbed and scattered by the tissue in its path. The intensity of the transmitted ray depends on the sum total of X-ray attenuation by all the different soft tissues in its path.


F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renae J. Stefanetti ◽  
Sarah Voisin ◽  
Aaron Russell ◽  
Séverine Lamon

The forkhead box O3 (FOXO3, or FKHRL1) protein is a member of the FOXO subclass of transcription factors. FOXO proteins were originally identified as regulators of insulin-related genes; however, they are now established regulators of genes involved in vital biological processes, including substrate metabolism, protein turnover, cell survival, and cell death. FOXO3 is one of the rare genes that have been consistently linked to longevity in in vivo models. This review provides an update of the most recent research pertaining to the role of FOXO3 in (i) the regulation of protein turnover in skeletal muscle, the largest protein pool of the body, and (ii) the genetic basis of longevity. Finally, it examines (iii) the role of microRNAs in the regulation of FOXO3 and its impact on the regulation of the cell cycle.


2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (1) ◽  
pp. E168-E175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamileh Movassat ◽  
Danièle Bailbé ◽  
Cécile Lubrano-Berthelier ◽  
Françoise Picarel-Blanchot ◽  
Eric Bertin ◽  
...  

The adult Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat is characterized by impaired glucose-induced insulin secretion in vivo and in vitro, decreased β-cell mass, decreased insulin sensitivity in the liver, and moderate insulin resistance in muscles and adipose tissue. GK rats do not exhibit basal hyperglycemia during the first 3 wk after birth and therefore could be considered prediabetic during this period. Our aim was to identify the initial pathophysiological changes occurring during the prediabetes period in this model of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). To address this, we investigated β-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and body composition in normoglycemic prediabetic GK rats. Our results revealed that the in vivo secretory response of GK β-cells to glucose is markedly reduced and the whole body insulin sensitivity is increased in the prediabetic GK rats in vivo. Moreover, the body composition of suckling GK rats is altered compared with age-matched Wistar rats, with an increase of the number of adipocytes before weaning despite a decreased body weight and lean mass in the GK rats. None of these changes appeared to be due to the postnatal nutritional environment of GK pups as demonstrated by cross-fostering GK pups with nondiabetic Wistar dams. In conclusion, in the GK model of T2DM, β-cell dysfunction associated with increased insulin sensitivity and the alteration of body composition are proximal events that might contribute to the establishment of overt diabetes in adult GK rats.


Author(s):  
Sabrina Picocci ◽  
Antonella Bizzoca ◽  
Patrizia Corsi ◽  
Thea Magrone ◽  
Emilio Jirillo ◽  
...  

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