Summary
A monoclonal antibody against substance P was used for immunocytochemical staining of the central ganglia of the snail Helix aspersa and several peripheral tissues including the gut, reproductive system, cardiovascular system, tentacle and other muscles.
Within the central ganglia many neurones, and many fibres in the neuropile and the nerves entering the ganglia, were stained for the SP-like material. The largest numbers of reactive cell bodies were in the pleural ganglia and on the dorsal surfaces of the pedal ganglia. A group of cells was also found, surrounding the right pedal-cerebral connective, that did not fluoresce, but were enveloped by reactive processes terminating directly onto the neurone somata.
Specific staining was observed in all peripheral tissues examined and always appeared to be concentrated in nerve terminals. Most particularly these occurred in the heart and aorta, the pharyngeal retractor muscle and the tentacle. Although mostly present in muscular tissues, some fluorescence was also observed in the nervous layer surrounding the retina. The tentacular ganglion also contained immunoreactive cell bodies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boyd PJ, Osborne NN, Walker RJ (1984) The pharmacological actions of 5-hydroxytryptamine, FMRF-amide and substance P and their possible occurrence in the heart of the snail Helix aspersa. Neurochem Int 6:633–640
Cardot J, Fellman D (1983) Immunofluorescent evidence of an FMRF amide like peptide in the peripheral nervous system of the gastropod mollusc Helix aspersa. Neurosci Lett 43:167–172
Chang MM, Leeman SE (1970) Isolation of a sialogic peptide from bovine hypothalamic tissue and its characterization as substance P. J Biol Chem 245:4784–4790
Coons AG (1956) Histochemistry with labelled antibody. Int Rev Cytol 5:1–23
Creagh T, Skrabanek P, Cannon D, Balfe A, Powell D (1980) Phylogeny of substance P. Gen Comp Endocrinol 40:503–506
Cuello AC, Galfre G, Milstein C (1979) Detection of substance P in the central nervous system by a monoclonal antibody. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76:3532
Eskay RL, Furness JF, Long, RT (1981) Substance P activity in bullfrog retina: localisation and identification in several vertebrate species. Science 212:1049–1051
von Euler US, Gaddum JH (1931) An unidentified depressor substance in certain tissue extracts. J Physiol 72:74–87
Greenberg MJ (1983) The responsiveness of molluscan muscles to FMRF-amide, its analogs and other neuropeptides. In: Lever J, Boer HH (eds) Molluscan neuroendocrinology. North Holland, Amsterdam, pp 190–195
Greenberg MJ, Price DA (1983) Invertebrate neuropeptides: native and naturalized. Annu Rev Physiol 45:271–288
Grimmelikhuijzen CJP, Balfe A, Emson PC, Powell D, Sundler F (1981) Substance P-like immunoreactivity in the nervous system of Hydra. Histochemistry 71:325–333
Iversen LL (1982) Substance P. Br Med Bull 38:277–282
Karten HJ, Brecha N (1980) Localisation of substance P immuno-reactivity in amacrine cells of the retina. Nature 283:87–88
Mancillas JR, Brown MR (1984) Neuropeptide modulation of photosensitivity. I. Presence, distribution and characterization of a substance P-like peptide in the lateral eye of Limulus. J Neurosci 4:832–846
Osborne NN, Dockray GJ (1982) Bombesin-like immunoreactivity in specific neurones of the snail Helix aspersa and an example of the coexistence of substance P and serotonin in an invertebrate neurone. Neurochem Int 4:175–180
Osborne NN, Cuello AC, Dockray GJ (1982a) Substance P and cholecystokinin-like peptides in Helix neurons and cholecystokinin and serotonin in a giant neuron. Science 216:409–411
Osborne NN, Nicholas DA, Dockray GJ, Cuello AC (1982b) Cholecystokinin and substance P immunoreactivity in retinas of rats, frogs, lizards and chicks. Exp Eye Res 34:639–649
Peters M, Altrup U (1984) Motor organization in the pharynx of Helix pomatia. J Neruophysiol 52:389–409
Schot LPC, Boer HH (1982) Immunocytochemical demonstration of peptidergic cells in the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis with an antiserum to the molluscan cardioactive tetrapeptide FMRF-amide. Cell Tissue Res 225:347–354
Schot LPC, Boer HH, Swaab DF, van Noorden S (1981) Immunocytochemical demonstration of peptidergic neurons in the central nervous system of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis with antisera raised to biologically active peptides of vertebrates. Cell Tissue Res 216:273–291
Sedden CB, Walker RJ, Kerkut GA (1968) The localization of dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine in neurones of Helix aspersa. Symp Zool Soc Lond 22:19–32
S.-Rózsa K (1982) Various transmitters as filters in transferring information in an identified nerve network of gastropods. Comp Biochem Physiol 72C:375–386
S.-Rózsa K, Zhuravlev U (1981) Central regulation and coordination of the activity of cardio-renal system and pneumostoma in the suboesophageal ganglia of Helix pomatia L. Comp Biochem Physiol 69A:85–98
Trappmann (1916) Die Muskulatur von Helix pomatia. Zt Wiss Zool 115:489–585
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boyd, P.J., Osborne, N.N. & Walker, R.J. Localization of a substance P-like material in the central and peripheral nervous system of the snail Helix aspersa . Histochemistry 84, 97–103 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00493427
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00493427