Nitric Oxide Producing Cells in the Central Nervous System and Peripheral Tissues of Mercenaria Mercenaria (Bivalvia)
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Authors
Untch, Brian R.
Issue Date
1999
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Nitric Oxide (NO) has been observed as a signaling molecule within several
invertebrate species. However, NO producing cells have yet to be detected in bivalves.
NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry and RT-PCR were employed to detect nitric oxide
synthase (NOS) in the bivalve mollusk, Mercenaria mercenaria. NADPH-diaphorase
histochemistry was used to analyze the distribution of putative NOS-containing cells.
Serial cryostat sections and whole mount preparations were made from the cerebral
ganglion, visceral ganglion, pedal ganglion, gills, esophagus, intestine, palps, foot, and
gonad. In the CNS, the most prominent neuronal staining was located in the visceral
ganglion followed by the pedal and cerebral ganglia. In the periphery, selective labeling
occurred in subephithelial non-neuronal cells located in the gills, esophagus, and in the
ciliated epithelium of the gut. The gonad areas and posterior pedal muscles were
negative for NADPH-diaphorase. RT -PCR successfully isolated a 522 base pair fragment
of the neuronal NOS isoform from CNS tissues. The amino acid sequence showed
highest homologies to the three known gastropod neuronal NOS's, but was similar to
several other invertebrate and vertebrate sequences. These data suggest that nitric oxide
is used as a signaling molecule within the CNS and peripheral tissue of M mercenaria
and possibly in other bivalve species.
With honors.
With honors.
Description
v, 33 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.