| Popis: |
Publisher Summary Coelenterates are well known models for developmental biologists. Because of the simplicity of their nervous systems, coelenterates have an extremely high regeneration capacity, and nervous systems probably evolved in animals that were closely related to present-day coelenterates. This chapter describes the peptidergic nervous system of coelenterates, the various types of neuropeptides, and the biosynthesis of neuropeptides in coelenterates. The presence of chemical synapses in the coelenterate nervous system is confirmed by simultaneous intracellular recordings at both pre- and postsynaptic neurones, which display the expected excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) with a constant latency from the presynaptic spike. The chapter discusses the first report on the Antho-RFamide precursor in sea anemones on a neuropeptide precursor in lower invertebrates, which shows that the biosynthetic machinery for neuropeptides in sea anemones has already attained a high level of efficiency. The mechanisms of neuropeptide biosynthesis in sea anemones are similar to those in higher invertebrates, such as molluscs and insects, and vertebrates. Through the study of simple nervous systems––such as coelenterates––more about basic mechanisms in neurobiology can be learned. |
