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Immunolocalization of G‐Protein Alpha Subunits in the Olfactory System of the Cartilaginous Fish Scyliorhinus Canicula
Author(s) -
Ferrando Sara,
Gambardella Chiara,
Ravera Silvia,
Bottero Sergio,
Ferrando Tiziana,
Gallus Lorenzo,
Manno Valentina,
Salati Amir P.,
Ramoino Paola,
Tagliafierro Grazia
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the anatomical record: advances in integrative anatomy and evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.678
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1932-8494
pISSN - 1932-8486
DOI - 10.1002/ar.21003
Subject(s) - scyliorhinus canicula , olfactory bulb , vomeronasal organ , biology , olfactory system , protein subunit , anatomy , olfactory receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , axon , medicine , central nervous system , neuroscience , fish <actinopterygii> , biochemistry , gene , fishery
In the olfactory and vomeronasal systems of vertebrates, the morphology of the receptor neurons, the receptor gene family they express, the G‐protein coupled with the receptor (in particular the G‐protein alpha subunit), and their projection to the olfactory bulb are correlated. Much information about this complicated system have been collected in different groups, but nothing is known about Chondrichthyes. In this work, the presence and distribution of immunoreactivity for different types of G‐protein alpha subunit (Gα o , Gα q and Gα s/olf ) were investigated in the olfactory mucosa and olfactory bulb of the shark Scyliorhinus canicula . Only Gα o ‐like immunoreactivity was detected in the olfactory mucosa and bulb, both in tissues and homogenates. Its distribution was partially similar to that found in other vertebrates: it was localized in the microvillous receptor neurons, in numerous axon bundles of the fila olfactoria, in the stratum nervosum and in the most of glomeruli in the stratum glomerulosum . No immunoreactivity was instead observed in the crypt neurons, the second type of olfactory neurons present in cartilaginous fish. The projections of crypt neurons to olfactory bulb probably correspond to the few ventrally‐located glomeruli which were negative to the antiserum against Gα o . These data suggest, in S. canicula , different olfactory neuron types send projections to the olfactory bulb with a segregated distribution, as observed in other vertebrates. Anat Rec, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.