Bressan Joris M A, Benz Martin, Oettler Jan, Heinze Jürgen, Hartenstein Volker, Sprecher Simon G
Department of Biology, Institute of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of Fribourg Fribourg, Switzerland.
Biologie I, Universität Regensburg Regensburg, Germany.
Front Neuroanat. 2015 Feb 4;8:166. doi: 10.3389/fnana.2014.00166. eCollection 2014.
A wide spectrum of occupied ecological niches and spectacular morphological adaptations make social insects a prime object for comparative neuroanatomical studies. Eusocial insects have evolved complex societies based on caste polyphenism. A diverse behavioral repertoire of morphologically distinct castes of the same species requires a high degree of plasticity in the central nervous system. We have analyzed the central brain neuropils and fiber tract systems of the worker of the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, a model for the study of social traits. Our analysis is based on whole mount preparations of adult brains labeled with an antibody against Drosophila-Synapsin, which cross-reacts strongly with synapses in Cardiocondyla. Neuropil compartments stand out as domains with a certain texture and intensity of the anti-Synapsin signal. By contrast, fiber tracts, which are composed of bundles of axons accompanied by glia and are devoid of synapses, appear as channels or sheaths with low anti-Synapsin signal. We have generated a digital 3D atlas of the Cardiocondyla brain neuropil. The atlas provides a reference for future studies of brain polymorphisms in distinct castes, brain development or localization of neurotransmitter systems.
广泛的生态位占据和惊人的形态适应使社会性昆虫成为比较神经解剖学研究的主要对象。真社会性昆虫基于 caste 多型性进化出了复杂的社会。同一物种形态上不同的 caste 具有多样的行为模式，这需要中枢神经系统具有高度的可塑性。我们分析了暗纹心颚蚁工蚁的中枢脑神经纤维网和纤维束系统，暗纹心颚蚁是研究社会特征的一个模型。我们的分析基于用抗果蝇突触素抗体标记的成年大脑整装标本，该抗体与心颚蚁的突触有强烈的交叉反应。神经纤维网区室表现为具有特定抗突触素信号纹理和强度的区域。相比之下，由轴突束与神经胶质细胞相伴且无突触的纤维束，表现为抗突触素信号较低的通道或鞘。我们生成了暗纹心颚蚁脑神经纤维网的数字三维图谱。该图谱为未来研究不同 caste 的脑多态性、脑发育或神经递质系统定位提供了参考。
