Conference: Meeting: Molluscan Neuroscience in the Genomic Era: from Gastropods to Cephalopods, in Jupiter, FL on May 16 - 19, 2012

从历史上看，细胞神经生物学中的许多最重要的进展都是将乌贼和蜗牛等软体动物作为模型系统来研究的，因为软体动物有非常大的神经细胞。鱿鱼的巨大神经细胞使人们能够分析神经细胞中发现的动作电位的机制，以及神经递质(如5-羟色胺)在突触中释放的机制。蜗牛凭借其巨大的神经细胞和简单的神经回路，使我们在理解学习和记忆的分子机制方面取得了重大进展。在软体动物中的许多关键的细胞和分子发现已经被证明可以推广到哺乳动物的大脑，因为这些机制在整个进化过程中一直是保守的。这次会议将聚集神经生物学家，他们研究两个重要的软体动物群体，较简单的腹足类(如蜗牛)和较复杂的头足类(如鱿鱼和章鱼)，自由讨论他们的最新发现。章鱼和鱿鱼代表了完全独立于脊椎动物进化的高级智力形式。这些独特的智能形式有可能为开发人工智能和计算机控制的人工附件的精确运动提供有影响力的模型。会议将在与会者之间产生新的合作，特别是因为这是腹足类和头足类神经科学领导人之间讨论的独特场所。腹足类的细胞、分子和基因组方面的进展有可能极大地促进对更复杂的头足类动物的研究。会谈摘要将在一个开放的网站上提供，并提供新的方法。这将加快研究的步伐，导致新的发现，可以提供对大脑的基本功能的见解。研究生和博士后研究员将向该领域的资深科学家展示他们的研究成果，并在指导会议上与他们互动，这将有利于他们作为研究人员的发展。

Historically, many of the most important advances in cellular neurobiology have been made studying mollusks, such as squid and snails, as model systems because mollusks have exceptionally large nerve cells. The giant nerve cells of squid enabled the analysis of the mechanism of the action potentials found in nerve cells and the mechanisms by which neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, are released at synapses. Snails, with their very large nerve cells and simple neural circuitry, have enabled major advances in ourunderstanding of molecular mechanisms of learning and memory. Many key cellular and molecular discoveries in mollusks have proved generalizable to the brains of mammals, because these mechanisms have been conserved throughout evolution.This meeting will bring together neurobiologists who work on two important molluscan groups, the simpler gastropods (e.g. snails) and the more complex cephalopods (e.g.squid and octopus) to freely discuss their latest findings. Octopus and squid represent advanced forms of intelligence that evolved entirely independently from vertebrates. These distinct forms of intelligence have the potential for providing influential models for developing artificial intelligence and computer-controlled precise motion of artificial appendages.The meeting will generate novel collaborations among attendees, particularly because this is a unique venue for discussions between leaders in gastropod and cephalopod neuroscience. Cellular, molecular and genomic advances in gastropods have the potential for greatly benefiting research in more complex cephalopods. Abstracts of talks will be available on an open website, along with new methodologies presented. This will accelerate the pace of research, leading to new discoveries that can provide insights into the basic functioning of the brain. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will present their research to senior scientists in the field, and interact with them at mentoring sessions, which will benefit their development as researchers.