Authors: Jirawat Saetan Thanyaporn Senarai Montakan Tamtin Wattana Weerachatyanukul Jittipan Chavadej Peter J Hanna Ishwar Parhar Prasert Sobhon Prapee Sretarugsa
Publish Date: 2013/06/04
Volume: 353, Issue: 3, Pages: 493-510
Abstract
We present a detailed histological description of the central nervous system CNS brain subesophageal ganglion thoracic ganglia abdominal ganglia of the blue crab Portunus pelagicus Because the presence of gonadotropinreleasing hormone GnRH in crustaceans has been disputed we examine the presence and localization of a GnRHlike peptide in the CNS of the blue crab by using antibodies against lamprey GnRH lGnRHIII octopus GnRH octGnRH and tunicate GnRH tGnRHI These antibodies showed no crossreactivity with redpigmentconcentrating hormone adipokinetic hormone or corazonin In the brain strong lGnRHIII immunoreactivity −ir was detected in small 7–17 μm diameter neurons of clusters 8 9 and 10 in mediumsized 21–36 μm diameter neurons of clusters 6 7 and 11 and in the anterior and posterior median protocerebral neuropils olfactory neuropil median and lateral antenna I neuropils tegumentary neuropil and antenna II neuropil In the subesophageal ganglion lGnRHIIIir was detected in mediumsized neurons and in the subesophageal neuropil In the thoracic and abdominal ganglia lGnRHIIIir was detected in mediumsized and small neurons and in the neuropils OctGnRHir was observed in neurons of the same clusters with moderate staining particularly in the deutocerebrum whereas tGnRHIir was only detected in mediumsized neurons of cluster 11 in the brain Thus antilGnRHIII shows greater immunoreactivity in the crab CNS than antioctGnRH and antitGnRHI Moreover our functional bioassay demonstrates that only lGnRHIII has significant stimulatory effects on ovarian growth and maturation We therefore conclude that although the true identity of the crab GnRH eludes us crabs possess a putative GnRH hormone similar to lGnRHIII The identification and characterization of this molecule is part of our ongoing researchWe acknowledge the financial support of a Distinguished Research Professor Grant cofunded by The Thailand Research Fund The Commission on Higher Education and Mahidol University to Prasert Sobhon and of a PhD Scholarship to Jirawat Saetan by the Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talent Project
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