Brain Development in the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes Aegypti: a Comparative Immunocytochemical Analysis Using Cross-Reacting Antibodies from Drosophila Melanogaster

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Brain Development in the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes Aegypti: a Comparative Immunocytochemical Analysis Using Cross-Reacting Antibodies from Drosophila Melanogaster Dev Genes Evol (2011) 221:281–296 DOI 10.1007/s00427-011-0376-2 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Brain development in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti: a comparative immunocytochemical analysis using cross-reacting antibodies from Drosophila melanogaster Keshava Mysore & Susanne Flister & Pie Müller & Veronica Rodrigues & Heinrich Reichert Received: 1 April 2011 /Accepted: 14 September 2011 /Published online: 30 September 2011 # Springer-Verlag 2011 Abstract Considerable effort has been directed towards model system, Drosophila melanogaster, in larval, pupal, understanding the organization and function of peripheral and adult stages. Furthermore, we use immunolabeling to and central nervous system of disease vector mosquitoes such document the development of specific components of the as Aedes aegypti. To date, all of these investigations have Aedes brain, namely the optic lobes, the subesophageal been carried out on adults but none of the studies addressed neuropil, and serotonergic system of the subesophageal the development of the nervous system during the larval and neuropil in more detail. Our study reveals prominent differ- pupal stages in mosquitoes. Here, we first screen a set of 30 ences in the developing brain in the larval stage as compared antibodies, which have been used to study brain develop- to the pupal (and adult) stage of Aedes. The results also ment in Drosophila, and identify 13 of them cross-reacting uncover interesting similarities and marked differences in and labeling epitopes in the developing brain of Aedes.We brain development of Aedes as compared to Drosophila. then use the identified antibodies in immunolabeling studies Taken together, this investigation forms the basis for future to characterize general neuroanatomical features of the cellular and molecular investigations of brain development in developing brain and compare them with the well-studied this important disease vector. Communicated by V. Hartenstein Keywords Aedes aegypti . Fruitfly. Brain development . Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article Optic lobes . Subesophageal ganglion (doi:10.1007/s00427-011-0376-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. : : K. Mysore S. Flister H. Reichert (*) Introduction Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klinglebergstrasse 50, Mosquitoes are vectors for major parasitic diseases and CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland e-mail: [email protected] viral infections such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and encephalitis by feeding on blood from infected individuals P. Müller and transferring the disease agents to naïve hosts; hence, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, control of the mosquito vectors is an important goal for Socinstrasse 57, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland global health (Feachem et al. 2010). Host-seeking behavior in mosquitoes is based on chemosensation involving the P. Müller peripheral olfactory and gustatory sense organs as well as University of Basel, the central olfactory and gustatory circuitry of the brain. Petersplatz 1, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland Since basic knowledge about the organization, function, and development of olfactory and gustatory systems in V. Rodrigues mosquitoes may improve the design of existing and allows National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for to design novel disease control strategies (e.g., repellents, Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, traps), there has been considerable effort directed towards Bangalore 560065, India understanding the organization and function of the periph- 282 Dev Genes Evol (2011) 221:281–296 eral and central nervous system in mosquitoes (Anton et al. view of this molecular genetic similarity, it seems likely that 2003; Ignell et al. 2005; Ignell and Hansson 2005; Kwon et many of the antibody tools that were generated and used in al. 2006; Ghaninia et al. 2007a, b; Lu et al. 2007; Siju et al. the study of the development of the nervous system in 2008; Wang et al. 2010; Carey et al. 2010). These structural Drosophila might cross-react with the corresponding and functional studies of the nervous system have been epitopes and, thus, be useful molecular labels for investi- complemented by molecular analyses of the mosquito gating mosquito brains. Indeed, in two cases, antibodies olfactory and gustatory receptor molecules and, in more generated/used in Drosophila have been shown to cross- general terms, by the sequencing of the genomes of several react in adult mosquito nervous systems, and they have mosquito species (Fox et al. 2001; Hill et al. 2002; Melo et been utilized to understand the general neuroanatomy of the al. 2004; Bohbot et al. 2007; Lu et al. 2007; Arensburger et adult brain as well as specific types of neurons in the adult al. 2010). While a wealth of studies has investigated the chemosensory system of mosquitoes (Ignell et al. 2005; adult’s olfactory system, studies elucidating the develop- Ghaninia et al. 2007a, b; Siju et al. 2008). Taken together, ment of the sensory receptors or the central nervous these findings suggest that antibodies generated in Dro- circuitry involved in mosquito chemosensation during the sophila might be very helpful tools for understanding the larval stages are critically absent. As a consequence, development of the mosquito brain. virtually nothing is known about the development of the To obtain a suite of antibody markers that can be chemosensory system in mosquitoes. used to understand the various processes involved in In other insects such as the fruit fly, Drosophila the development of the mosquito brain in general (and melanogaster, the hawk moth, Manduca sexta, as well as the olfactory system in particular), we analyzed a set of in social insects such as ants and bees, molecular tools (e.g., 30 antibodies, which have been used to study brain antibodies) have been very useful for understanding the development in Drosophila, for cross-reactivity in the development of peripheral and central chemosensory developing brains of mosquito Aedes aegypti. Here, we systems (Oland and Tolbert 1996; Rodrigues and Hummel identify 13 of these antibodies that cross-react and label 2008; Groh and Rössler 2008; Mysore et al. 2010). epitopes in the developing mosquito brain. We then Notably, in the genetic model Drosophila, a wealth of characterize the general neuroanatomical features of the monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies generated against mosquitobrainrevealedbyeachofthesecross-reacting numerous molecular antigens involved in nervous system antibodies in immunolabeling studies in larval, pupal and development and function are currently available and have the adult mosquitoes and compare these features with been used extensively to understand the various aspects of those of fruit fly brains labeled with same antibodies. peripheral and central nervous system development, includ- Moreover, using these antibodies, we analyze the devel- ing olfactory system development (reviewed by Rodrigues opment of specific components of the brain (optic lobes, and Hummel 2008). In neuroanatomical respects, a major subesophageal neuropil, and serotonergic system of finding in Drosophila brain development is the fact that an subesophageal neuropil) in Aedes. Our analysis reveals identified set of neuroblasts generates all of the neurons in prominent differences in the neuroanatomy of the brain in the central brain in a lineage-specific manner. Most of the the larval stage as compared to the pupal and the adult lineally related neurons that derive from a given neuroblast stages. Our findings also document remarkable similari- have comparable morphological features and their axons ties and major differences in brain development of Aedes come together to form coherent fascicles that project as compared to Drosophila. Taken together, these find- together. Since a given lineage of neurons has a common ings form a basis for subsequent cellular and molecular projection trajectory, lineages therefore form “units of studies of brain development in the important disease projection” that underlie connectivity in the brain (Larsen vector Aedes. et al. 2009; Pereanu et al. 2011). An important open question is whether this lineage-based organizational principle also holds for other Dipteran insects. Material and methods Although fruitflies and mosquitoes are Dipteran insects, the two insect groups diverged about 250 million years ago Mosquito rearing and, thus, manifest considerable differences reflecting adaptation associated with different ecological niches and Eggs of A. aegypti Rockefeller strain were collected from a life strategies (Yeates and Wiegmann 1999; Gaunt and stock cage were reared at 27°C with about 70% humidity. Miles 2002). Nevertheless, it has been suggested that more The hatchlings were collected and reared separately at same than half of the genes in their genomes (Drosophila versus conditions and were fed with TetraMin® Baby (Tetra Anopheles) are putative orthologs with an average sequence GmbH, Melle, Germany) fish food. For the dissections identity of approximately 56% (Zdobnov et al. 2002). In and antibody cross-reactivity assays, mosquitoes were Dev Genes Evol (2011) 221:281–296 283 collected as fourth instar larvae, pupae (24 h after puparium The following antibodies were screened for cross-reactivity formation (APF)) pupae and 1-day-old adults. against the mosquito CNS: mouse anti-SYNORF 1 (1:10, DSHB); mouse BP 102 (1:5, DSHB); mouse 7E8A10 (1:10, Fly strains DSHB); mouse 8D12 (1:10, DSHB); mouse nc82 (1:100, Pielage
Recommended publications
  • Constant Neuropilar Ratio in the Insect Brain Alexey A
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Constant neuropilar ratio in the insect brain Alexey A. Polilov* & Anastasia A. Makarova Revealing scaling rules is necessary for understanding the morphology, physiology and evolution of living systems. Studies of animal brains have revealed both general patterns, such as Haller’s rule, and patterns specifc for certain animal taxa. However, large-scale studies aimed at studying the ratio of the entire neuropil and the cell body rind in the insect brain have never been performed. Here we performed morphometric study of the adult brain in 37 insect species of 26 families and ten orders, ranging in volume from the smallest to the largest by a factor of more than 4,000,000, and show that all studied insects display a similar ratio of the volume of the neuropil to the cell body rind, 3:2. Allometric analysis for all insects shows that the ratio of the volume of the neuropil to the volume of the brain changes strictly isometrically. Analyses within particular taxa, size groups, and metamorphosis types also reveal no signifcant diferences in the relative volume of the neuropil; isometry is observed in all cases. Thus, we establish a new scaling rule, according to which the relative volume of the entire neuropil in insect brain averages 60% and remains constant. Large-scale studies of animal proportions supposedly started with the publication D’Arcy Wentworth Tompson’s book Growth and Forms1. In fact, the frst studies on the subject appeared long before the book (e.g.2), but it was Tomson’s work that laid the foundations for this discipline, which, following the studies of Julian Huxley 3,4, became a major fundamental and applied area of science5–8.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution of Nervous Systems and Brains 2
    Evolution of Nervous Systems and Brains 2 Gerhard Roth and Ursula Dicke The modern theory of biological evolution, as estab- drift”) is incomplete; they point to a number of other lished by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace and perhaps equally important mechanisms such as in the middle of the nineteenth century, is based on (i) neutral gene evolution without natural selection, three interrelated facts: (i) phylogeny – the common (ii) mass extinctions wiping out up to 90 % of existing history of organisms on earth stretching back over 3.5 species (such as the Cambrian, Devonian, Permian, and billion years, (ii) evolution in a narrow sense – Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinctions) and (iii) genetic modi fi cations of organisms during phylogeny and and epigenetic-developmental (“ evo - devo ”) self-canal- underlying mechanisms, and (iii) speciation – the ization of evolutionary processes [ 2 ] . It remains uncer- process by which new species arise during phylogeny. tain as to which of these possible processes principally Regarding the phylogeny, it is now commonly accepted drive the evolution of nervous systems and brains. that all organisms on Earth are derived from a com- mon ancestor or an ancestral gene pool, while contro- versies have remained since the time of Darwin and 2.1 Reconstruction of the Evolution Wallace about the major mechanisms underlying the of Nervous Systems and Brains observed modi fi cations during phylogeny (cf . [1 ] ). The prevalent view of neodarwinism (or better In most cases, the reconstruction of the evolution of “new” or “modern evolutionary synthesis”) is charac- nervous systems and brains cannot be based on fossil- terized by the assumption that evolutionary changes ized material, since their soft tissues decompose, but are caused by a combination of two major processes, has to make use of the distribution of neural traits in (i) heritable variation of individual genomes within a extant species.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit 6 in Entomology [1] Unit Six. Reception and Integration: the Insect Nervous System. [2] in This Unit, You'll Need to Desc
    Unit 6 in Entomology [1] Unit six. Reception and Integration: The Insect Nervous System. [2] In this unit, you'll need to describe the origin of the insect nervous system, identify the major structures of the insect nervous system and describe their function, compare and contrast the physical structure and functions of compound eyes and simple eyes, differentiate between the two types of simple eyes and describe the four types of mechanical receptors insects possess. [3] Have you ever thought about how insects receive information from their environment? We use all of our five senses, but what about insects? Think about this. Do they have eyes? Yeah, mostly. Do they have a nose? The answer may seem obvious to you: insects don't have noses, but have you ever thought about how they smell or do they even smell? Well, yes, they do. They have receptors on their antenna and other parts of their body to pick up scents. In order to understand how an insect picks up a scent, let's first look at how humans do it. [4] Someone is baking luscious bread in the kitchen. As you walk by the kitchen, chemical molecules mixed with the steam waft up from the cooking food and enter your nose. The molecules then bind to tiny hairs in the nasal cavity. These hairs are extensions of olfactory nerve cells. Nerve cells are also called neurons. The binding of the chemical causes your olfactory nerves to fire and send a message to your brain. There, the brain interprets the message and fires another nerve cell in response that stimulates your salivary glands.
    [Show full text]
  • 140 Cor Frontale Supraesophageal Ganglion . . K Antennary Optic
    140 Cor Pyloric Dorsal frontalle stomach abdominal Supraesophageal art ry ganglion . K Ophthalmic / Ostium ® Antennary artery Cardiac / / Heart \ Segmental Optic \ artery i stomach/Cecum / / Hepato- \ artery nerve I / / / / / pancreas\ Hindgut Antennal nerve Rectum ganglion Hepatic artery Subesophageal Ventral Midgut ganglion nerve cord dorsomedial branchiocardiac dorsomedial Antenna Antennule intestinal / urogastric Compound eye posterior margina hepatic Th°racopods lateromarginal I inferior \ intercervical parabranchial postcervical B Uropod Telson Figure 47 Decapoda: A. Diagrammatic astacidean with gills and musculature removed to show major organ systems; B. Diagrammatic nephropoidean carapace illustrating carapace grooves [after Holthuis, 1974]; C. Phyllosoma larva. ORDER DECAPODA 141 midgut or the other, pierces the ventral nerve cord, and indistinct from the fused ganglia of the mandibles, maxil- then branches anteriorly and posteriorly. The anterior lulae, maxillae, and first 2 pairs of maxillipeds. The gang­ branch, the ventral thoracic artery, supplies blood to the lia of the first 3 pairs of pereopods are segmental; the mouthparts, nerve cord, and 1st 3 pairs of pereopods. ganglia of the 4th and 5th pairs lie very close together. The course of this artery cannot be traced until the Follow the ventral nerve cord into the abdomen and stomach and hepatic cecum have been removed. The identify the abdominal ganglia. posterior branch, the ventral abdominal artery, which Larval development is direct (epimorphic) in all fresh­ also should be traced later, provides blood to the 4th and water taxa; in marine taxa early developmental stages 5th pairs of pereopods, nerve cord, and parts of the ven­ are passed through in the egg and hatching usually occurs tral abdomen.
    [Show full text]
  • The Neuroanatomy of the Siboglinid Riftia Pachyptila Highlights Sedentarian Annelid Nervous System Evolution
    RESEARCH ARTICLE The neuroanatomy of the siboglinid Riftia pachyptila highlights sedentarian annelid nervous system evolution 1 2 1,3 Nadezhda N. Rimskaya-KorsakovaID *, Sergey V. Galkin , Vladimir V. Malakhov 1 Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, 2 Laboratory of Ocean Benthic Fauna, Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia, 3 Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia a1111111111 a1111111111 * [email protected] a1111111111 a1111111111 a1111111111 Abstract Tracing the evolution of the siboglinid group, peculiar group of marine gutless annelids, requires the detailed study of the fragmentarily explored central nervous system of vesti- mentiferans and other siboglinids. 3D reconstructions of the neuroanatomy of Riftia OPEN ACCESS revealed that the ªbrainº of adult vestimentiferans is a fusion product of the supraesophageal Citation: Rimskaya-Korsakova NN, Galkin SV, and subesophageal ganglia. The supraesophageal ganglion-like area contains the following Malakhov VV (2018) The neuroanatomy of the siboglinid Riftia pachyptila highlights sedentarian neural structures that are homologous to the annelid elements: the peripheral perikarya of annelid nervous system evolution. PLoS ONE 13 the brain lobes, two main transverse commissures, mushroom-like structures, commissural (12): e0198271. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. cell cluster, and the circumesophageal connectives with two roots which give rise to the palp pone.0198271 neurites. Three pairs of giant perikarya are located in the supraesophageal ganglion, giving Editor: Andreas Hejnol, Universitetet i Bergen, rise to the paired giant axons. The circumesophageal connectives run to the VNC. The sub- NORWAY esophageal ganglion-like area contains a tripartite ventral aggregation of perikarya (= the Received: May 14, 2018 postoral ganglion of the VNC) interconnected by the subenteral commissure.
    [Show full text]
  • Visual System of Basal Chelicerata
    Visual system of basal Chelicerata Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) der Fakultät für Biologie der Ludwig‐Maximilians‐Universität München Vorgelegt von Dipl.‐Biol. Tobias Lehmann München, 2014 Cover: left, Achelia langi (Dohrn, 1881); right, Euscorpius italicus (Herbst, 1800); photos by the author. 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Roland R. Melzer 2. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Gerhard Haszprunar Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 22. Oktober 2014 i ii Erklärung Diese Dissertation wurde im Sinne von § 12 der Promotionsordnung von Prof. Dr. Roland R. Melzer betreut. Ich erkläre hiermit, dass die Dissertation nicht einer anderen Prüfungskommission vorgelegt worden ist und dass ich mich nicht anderweitig einer Doktorprüfung ohne Erfolg unterzogen habe. ____________________________ ____________________________ Ort, Datum Dipl.‐Biol. Tobias Lehmann Eidesstattliche Erklärung Ich versichere hiermit an Eides statt, dass die vorgelegte Dissertation von mir selbständig und ohne unerlaubte Hilfe angefertigt ist. ____________________________ ____________________________ Ort, Datum Dipl.‐Biol. Tobias Lehmann iii List of publications Paper I Lehmann T, Heß M & Melzer RR (2012). Wiring a Periscope – Ocelli, Retinula Axons, Visual Neuropils and the Ancestrality of Sea Spiders. PLoS ONE 7 (1): 30474. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0030474. Paper II Lehmann T & Melzer RR (2013). Looking like Limulus? – Retinula axons and visual neuropils of the median and lateral eyes of scorpions. Frontiers in Zoology 10 (1): 40. doi:10.1186/1742‐9994‐10‐40. Paper III (under review) Lehmann T, Heß M, Wanner G & Melzer RR (2014). Dissecting an ancestral neuron network – FIB‐SEM based 3D‐reconstruction of the visual neuropils in the sea spider Achelia langi (Dohrn, 1881) (Pycnogonida). BMC Biology: under review.
    [Show full text]
  • Complete Distribution Patterns of Neurons with Characteristic Antigens in the Leech Central Nervous System1
    0270~6474/82/0210-1453$02,00/O The Journal of Neuroscience Copyright 0 Society for Neuroscience Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 1453~1464 Printed in U.S.A. October 1982 COMPLETE DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF NEURONS WITH CHARACTERISTIC ANTIGENS IN THE LEECH CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM1 BIRGIT ZIPSER2 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724 Received February 16, 1982; Revised May 6, 1982; Accepted May 6, 1982 Abstract Monoclonal antibodies were used to map the distribution of neurons in the leech which contain a particular antigen. This technique reveals the genetically determined variation in cell body distri- bution along the nerve cord. In addition, antibodies also reveal developmental deviations, such as the occurrence of supernumerary cell bodies. Three antibodies that bind either to single types or small sets of different neurons are used to construct complete distribution patterns of antigenically related cells. Three other antibodies are used to create cell body distribution maps of antigenically homologous primary mechanosensory cells responding to noxious or pressure stimulation which form a subset of the cells stained by the antibody. Furthermore, antibodies against the pressure cells helped in the location of two different specific antigens for the same identified nerve cell. Monoclonal antibodies (Kohler and Milstein, 1975) are neurons that either shares the same antigen or the same a new tool for studying molecular neuroanatomy and antigenic determinant common to more than one mole- have already been used to map the distribution of chem- cule (Dulbecco et al., 1981; Pruss et al., 1981). Also, a ically homologous neurons within adult and developing given neuron can be stained by more than one antibody.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolutionary Morphology of the Antennal Heart in Stick and Leaf Insects (Phasmatodea) and Webspinners (Embioptera) (Insecta: Eukinolabia)
    Zoomorphology https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-021-00526-4 ORIGINAL PAPER Evolutionary morphology of the antennal heart in stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) and webspinners (Embioptera) (Insecta: Eukinolabia) Benjamin Wipfer1 · Sven Bradler2 · Sebastian Büsse3 · Jörg Hammel4 · Bernd R. Müller5 · Günther Pass6 Received: 28 January 2021 / Revised: 15 April 2021 / Accepted: 27 April 2021 © The Author(s) 2021 Abstract The morphology of the antennal hearts in the head of Phasmatodea and Embioptera was investigated with particular refer- ence to phylogenetically relevant key taxa. The antennal circulatory organs of all examined species have the same basic construction: they consist of antennal vessels that are connected to ampullae located in the head near the antenna base. The ampullae are pulsatile due to associated muscles, but the points of attachment difer between the species studied. All examined Phasmatodea species have a Musculus (M.) interampullaris which extends between the two ampullae plus a M. ampulloaorticus that runs from the ampullae to the anterior end of the aorta; upon contraction, all these muscles dilate the lumina of both ampullae at the same time. In Embioptera, only the australembiid Metoligotoma has an M. interampullaris. All other studied webspinners instead have a M. ampullofrontalis which extends between the ampullae and the frontal region of the head capsule; these species do not have M. ampulloaorticus. Outgroup comparison indicates that an antennal heart with a M. interampullaris is the plesiomorphic character state among Embioptera and the likely ground pattern of the taxon Eukinolabia. Antennal hearts with a M. ampullofrontalis represent a derived condition that occurs among insects only in some embiopterans.
    [Show full text]
  • 10493 2007 9120 Article-Web 1..14
    Exp Appl Acarol (2007) 43:265–278 DOI 10.1007/s10493-007-9120-z Serotonin-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of two ixodid tick species Natalie A. Hummel · Andrew Y. Li · Colleen M. Witt Received: 14 June 2007 / Accepted: 8 November 2007 / Published online: 27 November 2007 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract Immunocytochemistry was used to describe the distribution of serotonin-like immunoreactive (5HT-IR) neurons and neuronal processes in the central nervous system (CNS), the synganglion, of two ixodid tick species; the winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus and the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. 5HT-IR neurons were identiWed in the synganglion of both tick species. D. albipictus had a signiWcantly higher number of 5HT-IR neurons than A. americanum. The labeling pattern and number of 5HT-IR neurons were sig- niWcantly diVerent between sexes in D. albipictus, but were not signiWcantly diVerent between sexes in A. americanum. 5HT-IR neurons that were located in the cortex of the synganglion projected processes into the neuropils, invading neuromeres in the supraesophageal ganglion including the protocerebrum, postero-dorsal, antero-dorsal and cheliceral neuromeres. In the subesophageal ganglion, dense 5HT-IR neuronal processes were found in the olfactory lobes, This article reports the results of research only. Mention of a proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement or a recommendation by the USDA for its use. The U.S. Government’s right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free license in and to any copyright is acknowledged. N. A. Hummel (&) · A. Y. Li (&) ARS, Knipling-Bushland U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Fine Structure of the Neuroganglia in the Central Nervous System of the Harvestman Leiobunum Japonicum (Arachnida: Opiliones)
    pISSN 2287-5123·eISSN 2287-4445 https://doi.org/10.9729/AM.2018.48.1.17 Regular Article Fine Structure of the Neuroganglia in the Central Nervous System of the Harvestman Leiobunum japonicum (Arachnida: Opiliones) Yong-Ki Park, Hye-Yoon Gu, Hyun-Jung Kwon, Hoon Kim, Myung-Jin Moon* Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Science, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea The characteristic features of the arachnid central nervous system (CNS) are related to its body segmentation, and the body in the Opiliones appears to be a single oval structure because of its broad connection between two tagmata (prosoma and opisthosoma). Nevertheless, structural organization of the ganglionic neurons and nerves in the harvestman Leiobunum japonicum is quite similar to the CNS in most other arachnids. This paper describes the fine structural details of the main groups of neuropiles in the CNS ganglia revealed by the transmission electron microscopy. In particular, electron-microscopic features of neural clusters in the main neuroganglia of the CNS (supraesophageal ganglion, protocerebral ganglion, optic lobes, central body, and subesophageal ganglion) could provide indications for the nervous pathways *Correspondence to: associated with nerve terminations and plexuses. The CNS of this harvestman consists of Moon MJ, a supraesophageal ganglion (brain) and a subesophageal mass, and there are no ganglia in http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9628-4818 the abdomen. Cell bodies of neuroganglia are found in the periphery, but central parts of Tel: +82-41-550-3445 the ganglia are mostly fibrous in all ganglia. Neuroglial cells occupy the spaces left by nerve Fax: +82-41-550-3409 cells.
    [Show full text]
  • Lecture 2: Insect Morphology
    Introduction to Applied Entomology, University of Illinois Insect Morphology MORPHOLOGY: THE STUDY OF FORM AND FUNCTION Insects are arthropods: Arthropoda: "jointed feet" Insecta: from insectum; to cut into General characteristics of arthropods: Segmented bodies Paired, segmented appendages Bilateral Symmetry Exoskeleton Dorsal heart and open circulatory system Ventral nerve cord General characteristics of insects: The body is comprised of 3 distinct body regions -- head, thorax, and abdomen The thorax of adults bears 3 pairs of legs and 2 pairs of wings The "breathing" system is comprised of air tubes A look at the outside of an insect: The exoskeleton is comprised of sclerites: hardened plates Tergites: Dorsal plates Sternites: Ventral plates Pleuron: Lateral area, often membranous The integument (body covering) is comprised of multiple layers: The cuticle is the outermost layer, covering the entire outer body surface; it also lines the air tubes (tracheae, etc.), salivary glands, foregut, and hindgut Strength and resilience (not hardness) are provided by chitin, a nitrogen-containing polymer common to the arthropods The insect head bears: mouthparts, eyes, and antennae. Introduction to Applied Entomology, University of Illinois Mouthparts: Labrum (1) (Upper lip) Mandibles (2) (Jaws) Maxillae (2) (More jaws) Labium (1) (Lower lip) Hypopharynx (1) (Tongue-like, bears openings of salivary ducts) Labrum-epipharynx (1) (Fleshy inner surface of labrum - sensory) Mouthparts may be modified greatly from the "generalized" plan ... see illustrations of the cicada and the house fly in comparison with the general form exhibited by the grasshopper. Introduction to Applied Entomology, University of Illinois The orientation of the mouthparts on the head may differ, and they may be described as: Prognathous: projecting forward (horizontal) Hypognathous: projecting downward Opisthognathous: projecting obliquely or posteriorly Eyes: Compound eyes: Individual units are facets or ommatidia.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparison of Nerve Cord Development in Insects and That Chordates, During Their Evolution, Have Inverted Their Vertebrates
    Development 126, 2309-2325 (1999) 2309 Printed in Great Britain © The Company of Biologists Limited 1999 DEV9647 REVIEW ARTICLE Comparison of early nerve cord development in insects and vertebrates Detlev Arendt*,‡ and Katharina Nübler-Jung Institut für Biologie I (Zoologie), Hauptstraße 1, 97104 Freiburg, Germany *Present address: EMBL, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69012 Heidelberg, Germany ‡Author for correspondence Accepted 17 March; published on WWW 4 May 1999 SUMMARY It is widely held that the insect and vertebrate CNS evolved types in the developing neuroectoderm. However, within a independently. This view is now challenged by the concept given neurogenic column in insects and vertebrates some of of dorsoventral axis inversion, which holds that ventral in the emerging cell types are remarkably similar and may insects corresponds to dorsal in vertebrates. Here, insect thus be phylogenetically old: NK-2/NK-2.2-expressing and vertebrate CNS development is compared involving medial column neuroblasts give rise to interneurons that embryological and molecular data. In insects and pioneer the medial longitudinal fascicles, and to vertebrates, neurons differentiate towards the body cavity. motoneurons that exit via lateral nerve roots to then project At early stages of neurogenesis, neural progenitor cells are peripherally. Lateral column neuroblasts produce, among arranged in three longitudinal columns on either side of the other cell types, nerve root glia and peripheral glia. Midline midline, and NK-2/NK-2.2, ind/Gsh and msh/Msx homologs precursors give rise to glial cells that enwrap outgrowing specify the medial, intermediate and lateral columns, commissural axons. The midline glia also express netrin respectively. Other pairs of regional specification genes are, homologs to attract commissural axons from a distance.
    [Show full text]