Immunohistochemical studies of GLWamides in Cnidaria
Abstract
GLWamides are a recently described, novel family of neuropeptides in Cnidaria. Antibodies specific for the GLWamide terminus have been raised and used to evaluate the occurrence and localisation of immunopositive material in various Cnidaria in order to determine whether GLWamides are present and to obtain a first impression of the possible regulatory role of these neuropeptides. GLWamide immunoreactivity has been found in all species tested and is not confined to distinct life stages but is present during most of the life cycle of the Cnidaria. Additionally, GLWamides are expressed by different nerve cells at different life stages. GLWamide-immunoreactive cells constitute a subset of the neural equipment. Overall our data suggest that GLWamides generally occur in the nervous system of Cnidaria and that these peptides are multifunctional. Putative functions other than the control of development include the regulation of nematocyst discharge, muscle contraction and the regulation of gastric function.
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Two smaller neuronal subpopulations expressing RFamide and GLWamide are primarily found in the oral half of the young polyp.
“Two smaller neuronal subpopulations expressing specific neuropeptides, RFamide and GLWamide [30,31], are primarily found in the oral half of the young polyp.”
From Evolution of eumetazoan nervous systems: insights from cnidarians (2015) · cites this paper as [30]
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“LWamide-positive cell bodies are also located at the base of tentacles and in Hydractinia polyps LWamide-positive processes can form dense longitudinal bundles (Schmich et al. 1998a).”
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Schmich, J. X. F. R., Trepel, S., & Leitz, T. (1998) · Development Genes and Evolution · doi:10.1007/s004270050181 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
“Additionally, the specificity of the primary antibodies was tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or competitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and found to be exclusive for GLWamides ( Schmich et al. 1998 ).”
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“These processes are relatively thin, run mainly parallel to each other, have few varicosities, and do not form extensive crosslinks (Plickert, 1989; Leitz and Lay, 1995; Schmich et al., 1998).”
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“LWamides and RFamides constitute two distinct neuropeptide families which exist in neurosensory cells of Hydractinia echinata larvae (Plickert 1989; Leitz 1993; Leitz and Lay 1995; Gajewski et al. 1996; Schmich et al. 1998a ).”
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“Leitz and coworkers have presented similar results with Hydra and Hydractinia (Leitz and Lay, 1995; Schmich et al., 1998).”
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“First, the immunohistochemical detection was performed as described previously ( Schmich et al. 1998a ) with the following variation: as first antibody we used either anti-RFamide, or anti-GLWamide, or an equimolar mixture of those two as described in the Results.”
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“Consistent with previously published results [28, 36, 37], RFamide + cells were predominantly located in the hypostome, and were pres-ent in the body column and tentacles, albeit less densely (Fig.”
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Schmich, J., Rudolf, R., Trepel, S., & Leitz, T.
- Affiliations
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- Venue
- Cell and Tissue Research
- Published
- 1998-09-02
- Volume
- 294
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 169-177
- ISSN
- 0302-766X (ISSN-L)
- 1432-0878
- OpenAlex
- W2087994936
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Cell and Tissue Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Keywords
- neuropeptides, Cnidaria, immunoreactivity, nervous system, life cycle, neurons, nematocyst discharge, muscle contraction, gastric function, neuropeptide regulation
- MeSH terms
- Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Antibody Specificity, Cnidaria, Female, Immunohistochemistry, Male, Nervous System, Neuropeptides, RNA, Messenger, In Situ Hybridization
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