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The neuropeptide Gonadotropin-releasing hormone modifies the spontaneous muscular contraction in the earthworm: Eisenia foetida

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Invertebrate Neuroscience

Abstract

We investigated whether the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone affects the spontaneous muscular contraction in the earthworm Eisenia foetida. In addition, we investigated the presence of Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in ventral nerve cord by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone induced a significant increase on both amplitude and muscular tone and decrease in the frequency of spontaneous muscular contraction. We found the presence of immunoreactive material to Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in the ventral nerve cord, likewise the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor mRNA expression. In conclusion, the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone modifies the spontaneous muscular contraction in E. foetida and these effects can be due to the activation of the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor.

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Acknowledgments

We express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Kalman Kovacs and Biól. Gonzalo Rodríguez for reviewing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, CP, 20131, Aguascalientes, Mexico

    J. Luis Quintanar, Karina Gutiérrez-García & Luis Castillo-Hernández

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  1. J. Luis Quintanar
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  2. Karina Gutiérrez-García
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  3. Luis Castillo-Hernández
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Correspondence to J. Luis Quintanar.

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Luis Quintanar, J., Gutiérrez-García, K. & Castillo-Hernández, L. The neuropeptide Gonadotropin-releasing hormone modifies the spontaneous muscular contraction in the earthworm: Eisenia foetida . Invert Neurosci 11, 113–116 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10158-011-0120-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10158-011-0120-7

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