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Identifiable nitrergic neurons in the central nervous system of the nudibranch Melibe leonina localized with NADPH‐diaphorase histochemistry and nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity
Author(s) -
Newcomb James M.,
Watson Winsor H.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.1270
Subject(s) - biology , nitric oxide synthase , immunocytochemistry , neuropil , colocalization , nitric oxide , anatomy , ganglion , central nervous system , neuroscience , endocrinology
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 . J. Comp. Neurol. 437:70–78, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.