Biomaterial Database

Embryogenesis of the central nervous system of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis L. An ultrastructural study. 2000

T Nagy, and K Elekes

Department of Experimental Zoology, Balaton Limnological Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 351 H-8237 Tihany, Hungary.

The ultrastructural characteristics of the developing CNS of the pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, were investigated, with special attention paid to three specific stages of embryonic development, representing distinctly different phases of both the body morphogenesis and gangliogenesis. These were the 35% (veliger), the 50-55% (metamorphic), and the 75% (post-metamorphic, adult-like) stages of embryonic development. Also, a brief comparison was done with the CNS of hatchlings (100% of embryonic development). During embryogenesis specialized axo-axonic synapses and elements of the glial system, including the ganglionic (neural) sheath, were rarely observed, whereas the frequent occurrence of unspecialized axo-somatic contacts could be demonstrated. Synapse-like axo-axonic connections could be found first in 75% embryos, showing asymmetric vesicle clustering on the "presynaptic" side and increased electron density of the apposed membranes. These phenomena may reflect the dominance of modulatory processes in the CNS during embryogenesis, and the absence of the neural sheath may facilitate trophic and/or hormonal influences within the developing ganglia. The gradual increase in the size of ganglia and the diameter of their neuropils was not accompanied by any widening of the cell body layer or increasing diameter of the nerve cell bodies until the very end of embryogenesis. With respect to the ultrastructural organization of the neuropil, and possibly the entire CNS, a determining stage seems to be that of metamorphosis. Two types of neuropil could be observed at this time; the metamorphosing neuropil with an irregular organization of wavy axon profiles, and well-structured neuropil with a regular organization of axon profiles. Ganglia with irregular or regular neuropil occurred simultaneously in the developing CNS.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008195	Lymnaea	A genus of dextrally coiled freshwater snails that includes some species of importance as intermediate hosts of parasitic flukes.	Lymnea,Lymnaeas,Lymneas
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D002490	Central Nervous System	The main information-processing organs of the nervous system, consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and meninges.	Cerebrospinal Axis,Axi, Cerebrospinal,Axis, Cerebrospinal,Central Nervous Systems,Cerebrospinal Axi,Nervous System, Central,Nervous Systems, Central,Systems, Central Nervous
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013569	Synapses	Specialized junctions at which a neuron communicates with a target cell. At classical synapses, a neuron's presynaptic terminal releases a chemical transmitter stored in synaptic vesicles which diffuses across a narrow synaptic cleft and activates receptors on the postsynaptic membrane of the target cell. The target may be a dendrite, cell body, or axon of another neuron, or a specialized region of a muscle or secretory cell. Neurons may also communicate via direct electrical coupling with ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Several other non-synaptic chemical or electric signal transmitting processes occur via extracellular mediated interactions.	Synapse
D017952	Ganglia, Invertebrate	Clusters of neuronal cell bodies in invertebrates. Invertebrate ganglia may also contain neuronal processes and non-neuronal supporting cells. Many invertebrate ganglia are favorable subjects for research because they have small numbers of functional neuronal types which can be identified from one animal to another.	Invertebrate Ganglia,Ganglion, Invertebrate,Ganglions, Invertebrate,Invertebrate Ganglion,Invertebrate Ganglions
D019581	Neuropil	A dense intricate feltwork of interwoven fine glial processes, fibrils, synaptic terminals, axons, and dendrites interspersed among the nerve cells in the gray matter of the central nervous system.	Neuropile,Neuropiles,Neuropils