The Neurobiology of Octopamine Immunorreactive Neurons

9419216小鼠许多重要的行为是由特定的神经系统回路控制的，这些回路使用生物胺作为递质。在这项提案中，Karen Mesce博士将扩展初步发现，首次发现水蚤中含有生物胺章鱼胺的特定神经细胞。已知章鱼胺对这种动物的神经系统有显著影响，但章鱼胺能细胞的身份从未被确定。含有章鱼胺的细胞出现在可能与生殖行为有关的区域。此外，章鱼胺在两个近缘水蚤物种的不同细胞中表达，因此这两个物种之间的比较可能有助于揭示含有章鱼胺的细胞的一些重要功能。这个项目可能会更好地理解生物胺在中枢神经系统功能和行为中的作用。这项工作也有可能对控制水蚤繁殖产生一些实际的见解。

9419216 Mesce Many important behaviors are controlled by specific nervous system circuits which use biogenic amines as transmitters. In this proposal, Dr. Karen Mesce will extend preliminary findings in which the specific nerve cells of the leech that contain the biogenic amine octopamine were identified for the first time. Octopamine is known to have marked effects on this animal'snervous system, but the identity of the octopaminergic cells had never been established. Octopamine-containing cells show up in regions where they may be related to reproductive behavior. In addition, octopamine is expressed in different cells within two related leech species, so that comparisons between these two species may help reveal some important functions for octopamine-containing cells. This project is likely to produce a better understanding the roles of biogenic amines in CNS function and behavior. It is also possible that this work will produce some practical insights into controlling leech reproduction.***