Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy.
Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Mar 23;23(7):3505. doi: 10.3390/ijms23073505.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a pivotal signaling molecule involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. We investigated NOS/NO localization patterns during the different stages of larval development in the ascidia and evidenced a specific and temporally controlled pattern. NOS/NO expression starts in the most anterior sensory structures of the early larva and progressively moves towards the caudal portion as larval development and metamorphosis proceeds. We here highlight the pattern of NOS/NO expression in the central and peripheral nervous system of larvae which precisely follows the progression of neural signals of the central pattern generator necessary for the control of the movements of the larva towards the substrate. This highly dynamic localization profile perfectly matches with the central role played by NO from the first phase of settlement induction to the next control of swimming behavior, adhesion to substrate and progressive tissue resorption and reorganization of metamorphosis itself.
一氧化氮（NO）是一种关键的信号分子，参与广泛的生理和病理过程。我们研究了 幼虫发育的不同阶段中 NOS/NO 的定位模式，并证明了一种特定且时间受控的模式。NOS/NO 的表达始于早期幼虫最前部的感觉结构，并随着幼虫发育和变态的进行逐渐向尾部移动。我们在这里强调了幼虫中枢和外周神经系统中 NOS/NO 表达的模式，它精确地遵循了中央模式发生器神经信号的进展，这些信号对于控制幼虫向基质移动是必要的。这种高度动态的定位模式与 NO 在从定居诱导的第一阶段到下一个游泳行为控制、附着到基质以及逐渐组织吸收和变态本身的组织重组的过程中所发挥的核心作用完全匹配。
