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- Title
NADPH-diaphorase activity in the nociceptive pathways of land snail Megalobulimus abbreviatus: the involvement of pedal ganglia.
- Authors
Rigon, Paula; De Castilhos, Juliana; Saur, Lisiani; Rodrigues, Mariana F.; Achaval, Matilde; Xavier, Léder L.
- Abstract
NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) is a histochemical marker for nitric oxide synthase (NOS), widely used to identify nitric oxide (NO) producing cells in the nervous system of both vertebrates and invertebrates. Using NADPH-d histochemistry and semi-quantitative optical densitometry, we characterized the NO-producing neurons in the pedal ganglia of young and adult Megalobulimus abbreviatus, subjected to aversive thermal stimulus. The animals were killed at different times (3, 6, 12 and 24 h) following stimulus. The enzymatic activity was detected in different cellular subsets and neuronal processes. In all the studied pedal ganglia subregions, the optical density of positive neurons ( P < 0.05) and neuropilar area 1 ( P < 0.01) was significantly different in treated animals when compared to controls. The increase in nitrergic activity induced by nociceptive stimulus suggests the involvement of NO in the nociceptive circuit of M. abbreviatus, which is well maintained throughout evolution, and could be helpful in drawing cellular homologies with other gastropods.
- Subjects
BIOMARKERS; BIOCHEMISTRY; NAD+ synthase; NITRIC oxide; SNAILS
- Publication
Invertebrate Neuroscience, 2009, Vol 9, Issue 3/4, p155
- ISSN
1354-2516
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10158-009-0094-x