Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Sarmento Leite 500, 90050-170 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Tissue Cell. 2010 Oct;42(5):307-13. doi: 10.1016/j.tice.2010.07.005.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a gas produced through the action of nitric oxide synthase that acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) of adult gastropod mollusks. There are no known reports of the presence of NOS-containing neurons and glial cells in young and adult Megalobulimus abbreviatus. Therefore, NADPH-d histochemistry was employed to map the nitrergic distribution in the CNS of young and adult snails in an attempt to identify any transient enzymatic activity in the developing CNS. Reaction was observed in neurons and fibers in all CNS ganglia of both age groups, but in the pedal and cerebral ganglia, positive neurons were more intense than in other ganglia, forming clusters symmetrically located in both paired ganglia. However, neuronal NADPH-d activity in the mesocerebrum and pleural ganglia decreased from young to adult animals. In both age groups, positive glial cells were located beneath the ganglionic capsule, forming a network and surrounding the neuronal somata. The trophospongium of large and giant neurons was only visualized in young animals. Our results indicate the presence of a nitrergic signaling system in young and adult M. abbreviatus, and the probable involvement of glial cells in NO production.
一氧化氮（NO）是一种通过一氧化氮合酶作用产生的气体，在成年腹足纲软体动物的中枢神经系统（CNS）中充当神经递质。目前尚无关于在年轻和成年的大瓶螺中存在含有 NOS 的神经元和神经胶质细胞的报道。因此，我们采用 NADPH-d 组织化学方法来描绘年轻和成年蜗牛 CNS 中的 nitrergic 分布，试图鉴定发育中的 CNS 中的任何瞬时酶活性。在两个年龄组的所有 CNS 神经节中都观察到神经元和纤维的反应，但在足神经节和脑神经节中，阳性神经元比其他神经节更强烈，形成对称地位于两个成对神经节中的簇。然而，从中脑和胸神经节到成年动物，神经元 NADPH-d 活性降低。在两个年龄组中，阳性神经胶质细胞位于神经节囊下，形成网络并包围神经元胞体。大神经元和巨大神经元的滋养海绵仅在年轻动物中可视化。我们的结果表明，年轻和成年大瓶螺中存在 nitrergic 信号系统，并且神经胶质细胞可能参与 NO 的产生。
