Watson R D, Lee K J, Borders K J, Dircksen H, Lilly K Y
Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
Arthropod Struct Dev. 2001 Oct;30(1):69-76. doi: 10.1016/s1467-8039(01)00024-x.
The production of ecdysteroid molting hormones by crustacean Y-organs is negatively regulated by a neuropeptide, molt-inhibiting hormone. It is generally agreed that molt-inhibiting hormone is produced and released by the eyestalk neuroendocrine system. In the present study, immunocytochemical methods were used to detect molt-inhibiting hormone immunoreactive neurons in eyestalk ganglia of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. The primary antiserum used was generated against molt-inhibiting hormone of the green shore crab, Carcinus maenas. A preliminary Western blot analysis indicated the antiserum binds molt-inhibiting hormone of Callinectes sapidus. Using confocal and conventional immunofluorescence microscopy, molt-inhibiting hormone immunoreactivity was visualized in whole mounts and thin sections of Callinectes sapidus eyestalk ganglia. Immunoreactivity was detected in 15-25 neurosecretory cell bodies in the medulla terminalis X-organ, their associated axons and collateral branches, and their axon terminals in the neurohemal sinus gland. The cellular organization of molt-inhibiting hormone immunoreactive neurons in blue crabs is generally similar to that reported for other crab species. The combined results suggest the cellular structure of the molt-inhibiting hormone neuroendocrine system is highly conserved among brachyurans.
甲壳类动物Y器官分泌的蜕皮甾体蜕皮激素受到一种神经肽——蜕皮抑制激素的负调控。人们普遍认为，蜕皮抑制激素是由眼柄神经内分泌系统产生和释放的。在本研究中，采用免疫细胞化学方法检测了蓝蟹（Callinectes sapidus）眼柄神经节中蜕皮抑制激素免疫反应性神经元。所用的一抗是针对绿岸蟹（Carcinus maenas）的蜕皮抑制激素产生的。初步的蛋白质免疫印迹分析表明，该抗血清能结合蓝蟹的蜕皮抑制激素。利用共聚焦显微镜和传统免疫荧光显微镜，在蓝蟹眼柄神经节的整装标本和薄片中观察到了蜕皮抑制激素免疫反应性。在终髓X器官的15 - 25个神经分泌细胞体、它们相关的轴突和侧支以及它们在神经血窦腺中的轴突终末中检测到了免疫反应性。蓝蟹中蜕皮抑制激素免疫反应性神经元的细胞组织与其他蟹类的报道基本相似。综合结果表明，在短尾类动物中，蜕皮抑制激素神经内分泌系统的细胞结构高度保守。
