Acetylcholinesterase activity in the developing and regenerating nervous system of the acoel Symsagittifera roscoffensis

作者：Bery Amandine; Martinez Pedro^*

来源：Acta Zoologica, 2011, 92(4): 383-392.

DOI：10.1111/j.1463-6395.2010.00472.x

• Acoela
• nervous system
• acetylcholinesterase

Bery, A. and Martinez, P. 2011. Acetylcholinesterase activity in the developing and regenerating nervous system of the acoel Symsagittifera roscoffensis. -Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 92: 383-392.
The use of the cholinergic system is widespread in the animal kingdom. It controls different processes, including reproduction and neural transmission. However, its evolutionary history is not yet well understood. For instance, the role played by the cholinergic system in the nervous system of basal bilaterian taxa, where the first signs of architectural complexity appear, is still unknown. Here, we describe the structure of the cholinergic system during the development and regeneration of the acoel flatworm Symsagittifera roscoffensis, using acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity as a marker. In this species, AchE activity is observed at all developmental stages, including in the early embryos. The juvenile and adult patterns reveal the presence of a complex nervous system that includes three pairs of longitudinal neurite bundles, which are connected to an anterior centralized mass of neurons and neural processes formed by two pairs of connectives and four commissures. The power of the technique also allows the detection of newly born neurons as they are incorporated into the growing nervous system (during regeneration).

• 出版日期2011-10