Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol 67, Issue 1 23-28, Copyright © 1992 by APS

ARTICLES

Neuronal modulation of foot and body-wall contractions in Aplysia californica

D. R. McPherson and J. E. Blankenship
Marine Biomedical Institute, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.

1. Large neurons in the pedal ganglia of Aplysia californica were examined for their potential to modulate motoneuron-evoked contractions in foot and body-wall muscle. These neurons lie near the medial border of each pedal ganglion and have peripheral axons but no detectable motor effect. 2. Neurons in this region fire in rhythmic bursts during fictive escape crawling, and their action potentials resemble those recorded from parapodial opener-phase (POP) neurons in the swimming species, A. brasiliana. 3. Firing these neurons in conjunction with pedal motoneurons potentiates the force of contractions and increases their relaxation rate. Similar effects are produced by the serotonin (5-HT) analogue, bufotenine. 4. The modulatory neurons can be stained in vivo by 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT), suggesting they are serotonergic. 5-HT immunoreactivity is present in axons associated with foot and body-wall muscle. 5. Bath-applied 5-HT causes rhythmic bursting in the modulatory neurons. It appears likely that they are homologous to the POP cells of A. brasiliana.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Jing, F. S. Vilim, E. C. Cropper, and K. R. Weiss Neural Analog of Arousal: Persistent Conditional Activation of a Feeding Modulator by Serotonergic Initiators of Locomotion J. Neurosci., November 19, 2008; 28(47): 12349 - 12361. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. S. Weragoda and E. T. Walters Serotonin Induces Memory-Like, Rapamycin-Sensitive Hyperexcitability in Sensory Axons of Aplysia That Contributes to Injury Responses J Neurophysiol, September 1, 2007; 98(3): 1231 - 1239. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Marinesco, N. Wickremasinghe, and T. J. Carew Regulation of Behavioral and Synaptic Plasticity by Serotonin Release within Local Modulatory Fields in the CNS of Aplysia J. Neurosci., December 6, 2006; 26(49): 12682 - 12693. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L.-M. Tian, R. Kawai, and T. Crow Serotonin-Immunoreactive CPT Interneurons in Hermissenda: Identification of Sensory Input and Motor Projections J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2006; 96(1): 327 - 335. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Dumitriu, J. E. Cohen, Q. Wan, A. M. Negroiu, and T. W. Abrams Serotonin Receptor Antagonists Discriminate Between PKA- and PKC-Mediated Plasticity in Aplysia Sensory Neurons J Neurophysiol, April 1, 2006; 95(4): 2713 - 2720. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Marinesco, K. E. Kolkman, and T. J. Carew Serotonergic Modulation in Aplysia. I. Distributed Serotonergic Network Persistently Activated by Sensitizing Stimuli J Neurophysiol, October 1, 2004; 92(4): 2468 - 2486. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Marinesco, N. Wickremasinghe, K. E. Kolkman, and T. J. Carew Serotonergic Modulation in Aplysia. II. Cellular and Behavioral Consequences of Increased Serotonergic Tone J Neurophysiol, October 1, 2004; 92(4): 2487 - 2496. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. B. Thuma, L. G. Morris, A. L. Weaver, and S. L. Hooper Lobster (Panulirus interruptus) Pyloric Muscles Express the Motor Patterns of Three Neural Networks, Only One of Which Innervates the Muscles J. Neurosci., October 1, 2003; 23(26): 8911 - 8920. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Gillette and J. Jing The Role of the Escape Swim Motor Network in the Organization of Behavioral Hierarchy and Arousal in Pleurobranchaea Integr. Comp. Biol., August 1, 2001; 41(4): 983 - 992. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. G. Morris and S. L. Hooper Mechanisms Underlying Stabilization of Temporally Summated Muscle Contractions in the Lobster (Panulirus) Pyloric System J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2001; 85(1): 254 - 268. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Jing and R. Gillette Escape Swim Network Interneurons Have Diverse Roles in Behavioral Switching and Putative Arousal in Pleurobranchaea J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2000; 83(3): 1346 - 1355. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Levenson, J. H. Byrne, and A. Eskin Levels of Serotonin in the Hemolymph of Aplysia Are Modulated by Light/Dark Cycles and Sensitization Training J. Neurosci., September 15, 1999; 19(18): 8094 - 8103. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. G. Morris and S. L. Hooper Muscle Response to Changing Neuronal Input in the Lobster (Panulirus Interruptus) Stomatogastric System: Slow Muscle Properties Can Transform Rhythmic Input into Tonic Output J. Neurosci., May 1, 1998; 18(9): 3433 - 3442. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. Laurienti and J. E. Blankenship Serotonergic Modulation of a Voltage-Gated Calcium Current in Parapodial Swim Muscle From Aplysia brasiliana J Neurophysiol, March 1, 1997; 77(3): 1496 - 1502. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]