Westermann Bettina, Beuerlein Knut, Hempelmann Gunter, Schipp Rudolf
Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie und Enwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Stephanstrasse 24, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
Histochem J. 2002 Aug-Sep;34(8-9):435-40. doi: 10.1023/a:1023691606047.
The neurotransmitter supply in the nerve endings of the mantle and the siphuncle, i.e. in organs that are responsible for the shell formation in the ectocholeate Nautilus pompilius, were investigated with electron microscopical, fluorescence-, immuno- and enzyme histochemical methods as well as with high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Using antibodies against serotonin and the tetrapeptide FMRF-amide, positive reactions were demonstrated immunohistochemically within the terminal nerve fibres of the mantle and the vessels of the siphuncle. Enzyme histochemical proof of the presence of specific acetylcholinesterase yielded positive results in the muscle fibres of the mantle and siphuncle. Additionally, in the mantle, glyoxylic acid-induced fluorescence was shown within the nerve endings indicating catecholamines as neurotransmitters, whereas in the siphuncle such fluorescence did not appear. However, the HPLC-analyses showed that in the mantle and also in the siphuncle the content of dopamine is higher than that of noradrenaline whereas only traces of adrenaline occur in both organs suggesting dopamine as a putative neurotransmitter. Transmission electron microscopical examination of the nerve endings of both organs revealed that different types of vesicles were distinguished that could be considered as cholinergic, aminergic and peptidergic structures.
利用电子显微镜、荧光、免疫和酶组织化学方法以及高压液相色谱法（HPLC），对鹦鹉螺外套膜和体管神经末梢中的神经递质供应情况进行了研究，鹦鹉螺外套膜和体管是负责鹦鹉螺外壳形成的器官。使用抗血清素和四肽FMRF酰胺的抗体，通过免疫组织化学方法在鹦鹉螺外套膜的终末神经纤维和体管血管中证实了阳性反应。酶组织化学方法证明，在鹦鹉螺外套膜和体管的肌纤维中存在特异性乙酰胆碱酯酶，结果呈阳性。此外，在鹦鹉螺外套膜中，神经末梢内显示出乙醛酸诱导的荧光，表明儿茶酚胺作为神经递质，而在体管中未出现这种荧光。然而，HPLC分析表明，在鹦鹉螺外套膜和体管中，多巴胺的含量高于去甲肾上腺素，而在这两个器官中仅检测到痕量的肾上腺素，提示多巴胺可能是一种神经递质。对这两个器官神经末梢的透射电子显微镜检查显示，可以区分出不同类型的囊泡，这些囊泡可被视为胆碱能、胺能和肽能结构。
