scholarly journals Cytoskeletal and synaptic polarity of LWamide-like+ ganglion neurons in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (21) ◽  
pp. jeb233197
Author(s):  
Michelle C. Stone ◽  
Gregory O. Kothe ◽  
Melissa M. Rolls ◽  
Timothy Jegla
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Sea Anemone ◽  
The Body ◽  
Synaptic Proteins ◽  
Nematostella Vectensis ◽  
Nervous Systems ◽  
Microtubule Polarity ◽  
Sister Clade ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

ABSTRACTThe centralized nervous systems of bilaterian animals rely on directional signaling facilitated by polarized neurons with specialized axons and dendrites. It is not known whether axo-dendritic polarity is exclusive to bilaterians or was already present in early metazoans. We therefore examined neurite polarity in the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (Cnidaria). Cnidarians form a sister clade to bilaterians and share many neuronal building blocks characteristic of bilaterians, including channels, receptors and synaptic proteins, but their nervous systems comprise a comparatively simple net distributed throughout the body. We developed a tool kit of fluorescent polarity markers for live imaging analysis of polarity in an identified neuron type, large ganglion cells of the body column nerve net that express the LWamide-like neuropeptide. Microtubule polarity differs in bilaterian axons and dendrites, and this in part underlies polarized distribution of cargo to the two types of processes. However, in LWamide-like+ neurons, all neurites had axon-like microtubule polarity suggesting that they may have similar contents. Indeed, presynaptic and postsynaptic markers trafficked to all neurites and accumulated at varicosities where neurites from different neurons often crossed, suggesting the presence of bidirectional synaptic contacts. Furthermore, we could not identify a diffusion barrier in the plasma membrane of any of the neurites like the axon initial segment barrier that separates the axonal and somatodendritic compartments in bilaterian neurons. We conclude that at least one type of neuron in Nematostella vectensis lacks the axo-dendritic polarity characteristic of bilaterian neurons.

Molecular analysis of heparan sulfate biosynthetic enzyme machinery and characterization of heparan sulfate structure in Nematostella vectensis

2009 ◽  
Vol 419 (3) ◽  
pp. 585-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almir Feta ◽  
Anh-Tri Do ◽  
Fabian Rentzsch ◽  
Ulrich Technau ◽  
Marion Kusche-Gullberg
Keyword(s):  
Heparan Sulfate ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Sea Anemone ◽  
The Body ◽  
Nematostella Vectensis ◽  
Last Common Ancestor ◽  
Protein Ligands ◽  
Enzyme Families

HS (heparan sulfate) proteoglycans are key regulators of vital processes in the body. HS chains with distinct sequences bind to various protein ligands, such as growth factors and morphogens, and thereby function as important regulators of protein gradient formation and signal transduction. HS is synthesized through the concerted action of many different ER (endoplasmic reticulum) and Golgi-resident enzymes. In higher organisms, many of these enzymes occur in multiple isoforms that differ in substrate specificity and spatial and temporal expression. In order to investigate how the structural complexity of HS has evolved, in the present study we focused on the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis), which belongs to the Anthozoa, which are considered to have retained many ancestral features. Members of all of the enzyme families involved in the generation and modification of HS were identified in Nematostella. Our results show that the enzymes are highly conserved throughout evolution, but the number of isoforms varies. Furthermore, the HS polymerases [Ext (exostosin) enzymes Ext1, Ext2 and Ext-like3] represent distinct subgroups, indicating that these three genes have already been present in the last common ancestor of Cnidaria and Bilateria. In situ hybridization showed up-regulation of certain enzymes in specific areas of the embryo at different developmental stages. The specific mRNA expression pattern of particular HS enzymes implies that they may play a specific role in HS modifications during larval development. Finally, biochemical analysis of Nematostella HS demonstrates that the sea anemone synthesizes a polysaccharide with a unique structure.

scholarly journals Nervous systems of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis are generated by ectoderm and endoderm and shaped by distinct mechanisms

Development ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 139 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Nakanishi ◽  
E. Renfer ◽  
U. Technau ◽  
F. Rentzsch
Keyword(s):  
Sea Anemone ◽  
Nematostella Vectensis ◽  
Nervous Systems

scholarly journals Physiology and Physical Chemistry of Bile Acids

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1780
Author(s):  
Maria Chiara di Gregorio ◽  
Jacopo Cautela ◽  
Luciano Galantini
Keyword(s):  
Physical Chemistry ◽  
Bile Acids ◽  
Material Science ◽  
Metabolic Regulation ◽  
Enterohepatic Circulation ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
The Body ◽  
Active Molecule ◽  
Supramolecular Aggregates ◽  
Biological Field

Bile acids (BAs) are facial amphiphiles synthesized in the body of all vertebrates. They undergo the enterohepatic circulation: they are produced in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, released in the intestine, taken into the bloodstream and lastly re-absorbed in the liver. During this pathway, BAs are modified in their molecular structure by the action of enzymes and bacteria. Such transformations allow them to acquire the chemical–physical properties needed for fulling several activities including metabolic regulation, antimicrobial functions and solubilization of lipids in digestion. The versatility of BAs in the physiological functions has inspired their use in many bio-applications, making them important tools for active molecule delivery, metabolic disease treatments and emulsification processes in food and drug industries. Moreover, moving over the borders of the biological field, BAs have been largely investigated as building blocks for the construction of supramolecular aggregates having peculiar structural, mechanical, chemical and optical properties. The review starts with a biological analysis of the BAs functions before progressively switching to a general overview of BAs in pharmacology and medicine applications. Lastly the focus moves to the BAs use in material science.

scholarly journals Single-Photon Detection Module Based on Large-Area Silicon Photomultipliers for Time-Domain Diffuse Optics

Instruments ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Fabio Acerbi ◽  
Anurag Behera ◽  
Alberto Dalla Mora ◽  
Laura Di Sieno ◽  
Alberto Gola
Keyword(s):  
Time Resolution ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Single Photon ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
The Body ◽  
Single Photon Detection ◽  
Silicon Photomultipliers ◽  
Photon Detection ◽  
Instrument Response Function ◽  
Diffuse Optics

Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) are pixelated single-photon detectors combining high sensitivity, good time resolution and high dynamic range. They are emerging in many fields, such as time-domain diffuse optics (TD-DO). This is a promising technique in neurology, oncology, and quality assessment of food, wood, and pharmaceuticals. SiPMs can have very large areas and can significantly increase the sensitivity of TD-DO in tissue investigation. However, such improvement is currently limited by the high detector noise and the worsening of SiPM single-photon time resolution due to the large parasitic capacitances. To overcome such limitation, in this paper, we present two single-photon detection modules, based on 6 × 6 mm2 and 10 × 10 mm2 SiPMs, housed in vacuum-sealed TO packages, cooled to −15 °C and −36 °C, respectively. They integrate front-end amplifiers and temperature controllers, being very useful instruments for TD-DO and other biological and physical applications. The signal extraction from the SiPM was improved. The noise is reduced by more than two orders of magnitude compared to the room temperature level. The full suitability of the proposed detectors for TD-DO measurements is outside the scope of this work, but preliminary tests were performed analyzing the shape and the stability of the Instrument Response Function. The proposed modules are thus fundamental building blocks to push the TD-DO towards deeper investigations inside the body.

Otologic Histopathology of Fabry's Disease

1989 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 359-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Schachern ◽  
Michael M. Paparella ◽  
Donald A. Shea ◽  
Tae H. Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Bone ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Cell Loss ◽  
The Body ◽  
Spiral Ligament ◽  
Fabry’S Disease ◽  
Fabry's Disease ◽  
Temporal Bones ◽  
Spiral Ganglia

Fabry's disease is a rare progressive X-linked recessive disorder of glycosphingolipid metabolism. The accumulation of glycosphingolipids occurs in virtually all areas of the body, including the endothelial, perithelial, and smooth-muscle cells of blood vessels, the ganglion cells of the autonomic nervous system, and the glomeruli and tubules of the kidney. Although otologic symptoms have been described in these patients, to our knowledge there have been no temporal bone histopathologic reports. We describe the clinical histories, audiometric results, and temporal bone findings of two patients with this rare disorder. Both patients demonstrated a bilateral sloping sensorineural hearing loss audiometrically. Middle ear findings of seropurulent effusions and hyperplastic mucosa were seen in all four temporal bones. Strial and spiral ligament atrophy in all turns, and hair cell loss mainly in the basal turns, were also common findings. The number of spiral ganglion cells was reduced in all temporal bones; however, evidence of glycosphingolipid accumulation was not observed in the spiral ganglia.

scholarly journals Microinjection of mRNA or morpholinos for reverse genetic analysis in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 924-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Layden ◽  
Eric Röttinger ◽  
Francis S Wolenski ◽  
Thomas D Gilmore ◽  
Mark Q Martindale
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Analysis ◽  
Sea Anemone ◽  
Nematostella Vectensis ◽  
Reverse Genetic

Starlet Sea Anemone (Nematostella vectensis) 2021 Environmental Summary, Reptile & Aquatics, Stowers Institute for Medical Research v1

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane C. Miller ◽  
Diana P Baumann ◽  
M. Shane Merryman
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Medical Research ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Sea Anemone ◽  
Nematostella Vectensis ◽  
Research Results ◽  
Impact Research

The starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) is an emerging model organism, and we have maintained a colony at the Stowers Institute since 2007. Nematostella are known as a simple sea anemone, related to other cnidarians such as jellyfish and corals. Native to estuarine environments across the Atlantic coast of North America, from Novia Scotia to Florida, they encounter a variety of environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, salinity). Acknowledging that husbandry conditions and environmental parameters can impact research results we provide information about the housing, nutrition, maintenance, and health for our colony of Nematostella. This information will be applicable to any Nematostella housed in the facility in 2021.

Amino Acids Profiling in Fruit Juices by High Performance Liquid Chromatography: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL4) ◽  
pp. 2756-2767
Author(s):  
Vijaya Vemani ◽  
Mounika P ◽  
Poulami Das ◽  
Anand Kumar Tengli
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
High Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Liquid Chromatography ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Amino Acid Content ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Fruit Juices ◽  
The Body ◽  
Total Amino Acid ◽  
Analytical Approaches

In the preservation of normal physiological functions, the building blocks of the body called amino acids play a crucial role. A number of valuable and nutritional phytoconstituents are contained in fruit juices, such as vitamins, minerals, microelements, organic acids, antioxidants, flavonoids, amino acids and other components. Due to the growing population and demand, the quality of fruit juices is decreasing. One of the unethical and harmful practices called adulteration or food fraudulence has been adopted by most food and beverage industries. The amino acids which is one of the most important phytochemicals of fruit and fruit juices which affects the organoleptic properties like color, odor, and taste of juices and also helps in authenticity process from governing bodies by providing total amino acid content. Consequently, the main aim of the present review work is to provide information regarding the importance of amino acids, how they are adulterated, the potential analytical approach to detected amino acids and which methods are generally accepted method by the food industries. According to the literature review, we presume that reverse phased high-performance liquid chromatography with pre-column derivatization was the most adopted method for quality checking due to its advantages over other old and recent analytical approaches like simple, rapid, cost-effective nature, less / no sample matrix effect with high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision.

Capsaicin and nicotine both activate a subset of rat trigeminal ganglion neurons

1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (6) ◽  
pp. C1807-C1814 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Liu ◽  
S. A. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Trigeminal Ganglion ◽  
Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Whole Cell Patch Clamp ◽  
Current Voltage ◽  
Trigeminal Ganglion Neurons ◽  
Ganglion Neurons ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Current Voltage Relationship ◽  
Voltage Relationship

Nicotine and capsaicin produce many similar physiological responses that include pain, irritation, and vasodilation. To determine whether neuronal nicotine acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are present on capsaicin-sensitive neurons, whole cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on rat trigeminal ganglion cells. It was found that approximately 20% of the total number of neurons tested was activated by both 100 microM nicotine and 1 nM capsaicin. Other subsets of neurons were activated by only one of these compounds, whereas a fourth subset was not activated by either compound. At -60 mV, the magnitude of the capsaicin-activated currents was about three times larger than the magnitude of the nicotine-activated currents. The current-voltage relationship of the nAChR exhibited marked rectification, such that for voltages > or = 0 mV the current was essentially zero. In contrast, the current-voltage relationship of the capsaicin-activated current was ohmic from +/- 60 mV. These data indicate the existence of subsets of capsaicin-sensitive afferent neurons.

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