Ultrastructure of the synaptic terminals of the dorsal giant serotonin-IR neuron and deutocerebral commissure interneurons in the accessory and olfactory lobes of the crayfish

Local olfactory interneurons provide the basis for neurochemical regionalization of olfactory glomeruli in crustaceans

The primary olfactory centers of metazoans as diverse as arthropods and mammals consist of an array of fields of dense synaptic neuropil, the olfactory glomeruli. However, the neurochemical structure of crustacean olfactory glomeruli is largely understudied when compared to the insects. We analyzed the glomerular architecture in selected species of hermit crabs using immunohistochemistry against presynaptic proteins, the neuropeptides orcokinin, RFamide and allatostatin, and the biogenic amine serotonin. Our study reveals an unexpected level of structural complexity, unmatched by what is found in the insect olfactory glomeruli. Peptidergic and aminergic interneurons provide the structural basis for a regionalization of the crustacean glomeruli into longitudinal and concentric compartments. Our data suggest that local olfactory interneurons take a central computational role in modulating the information transfer from olfactory sensory neurons to projection neurons within the glomeruli. Furthermore, we found yet unknown neuronal elements mediating lateral inhibitory interactions across the glomerular array that may play a central role in modulating the transfer of sensory input to the output neurons through presynaptic inhibition. Our study is another step in understanding the function of crustacean olfactory glomeruli as highly complex units of local olfactory processing.

Localization of neurons expressing choline acetyltransferase, serotonin and/or FMRFamide in the central nervous system of the decapod shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus

Although it is now established that neurons in crustacea contain multiple transmitter substances, little is know about patterns of expression and co-expression or about the functional effects of such co-transmission. The present study was designed to characterize the distributions and potential colocalization of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), serotonin (5-HT) and neuropeptide H-Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 (FMRFamide) in the central nervous system (CNS) of the Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus using immunohistochemical analyses in combination with laser scanning confocal microscopy. ChAT was found to be expressed by small, medium-sized, and large neurons in all regions of the brain and ventral nerve cord (VNC). For the most part, ChAT, FMRFamide, and 5-HT are expressed in different neurons, although some colocalization of ChAT- with FMRFamide- or 5-HT-LIR is observed in small and medium-sized cells, mostly neurons that immunostain only weakly. In the brain, such double immunolabeling is observed primarily in neurons of the protocerebrum and, to a particularly great extent, in local olfactory interneurons of the deutocerebrum. The clusters of neurons in the VNC that stain most intensely for ChAT, FMRFamide, and 5-HT, with colocalization in some cases, are located in the subesophageal ganglia. This colocalization appears to be related to function, since it is present in regions of the CNS characterized by multiple afferent projections and outputs to a variety of functionally related centers involved in various physiological and behavioral processes. Further elucidation of the functional significance of these neurons and of the widespread process of co-transmission in the crustaceans should provide fascinating new insights.

Characterization of locomotor response to psychostimulants in the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax forma virginalis): A promising model for studying the neural and molecular mechanisms of drug addiction

Although scientific research using mammalian models has made great strides in uncovering the enigmatic neural and molecular mechanisms orchestrating the state of drug addiction, a complete understanding has thus far eluded researchers. The complexity of the task has led to the use of invertebrate model systems to complement the research of drug-induced reward in mammalian systems. Invertebrates, such as crayfish, offer excellent model systems to help reveal the underlying mechanisms of drug addiction as they retain the ancestral neural reward circuit that is evolutionarily conserved across taxa, and they possess relatively few, large neurons, laid out in an accessible, modularly organized nervous system. Crayfish offer the benefits of delineated developmental life stages, a large body size suitable for a variety of experimental methods, and stereotyped behaviors. Unique among crayfish is the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish (Procambarus fallax forma virginalis), a species of asexually reproducing, genetically identical clones. With the benefits of reduced individual variation, high fecundity, and easy lab husbandry, the marbled crayfish would make a particularly powerful addition to the animal model repertoire. Here we characterize the locomotor response of juvenile P. f. f. virginalis exposed to the psychostimulant, d-amphetamine sulfate. Custom video-tracking software was used to record the movement patterns of juveniles exposed to water infused with varying concentrations of d-amphetamine sulfate. ANOVA demonstrated that crayfish locomotion was significantly impacted by drug concentration. These psychostimulant effects provide the foundation of P. f. f. virginalis as a model for parsing the neural and molecular mechanisms of drug addiction.

From Blood to Brain: Adult-Born Neurons in the Crayfish Brain Are the Progeny of Cells Generated by the Immune System

New neurons continue to be born and integrated into the brains of adult decapod crustaceans. Evidence in crayfish indicates that the 1st-generation neural precursors that generate these adult-born neurons originate in the immune system and travel to the neurogenic niche via the circulatory system. These precursors are attracted to the niche, become integrated amongst niche cells, and undergo mitosis within a few days; both daughters of this division migrate away from the niche toward the brain clusters where they will divide again and differentiate into neurons. In the crustacean brain, the rate of neuronal production is highly sensitive to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) levels. These effects are lineage-dependent, as serotonin's influence is limited to late 2nd-generation neural precursors and their progeny. Experiments indicate that serotonin regulates adult neurogenesis in the crustacean brain by multiple mechanisms: via direct effects of serotonin released from brain neurons into the hemolymph or by local release onto target cells, or by indirect influences via a serotonin-mediated release of agents from other regions, such as hormones from the sinus gland and cytokines from hematopoietic tissues. Evidence in crayfish also indicates that serotonin mediates the attraction of neural precursors generated by the immune system to the neurogenic niche. Thus, studies in the crustacean brain have revealed multiple roles for this monoamine in adult neurogenesis, and identified several pathways by which serotonin influences the generation of new neurons.

Crustacean olfactory systems: A comparative review and a crustacean perspective on olfaction in insects

Malacostracan crustaceans display a large diversity of sizes, morphs and life styles. However, only a few representatives of decapod taxa have served as models for analyzing crustacean olfaction, such as crayfish and spiny lobsters. Crustaceans bear multiple parallel chemosensory pathways represented by different populations of unimodal chemosensory and bimodal chemo- and mechanosensory sensilla on the mouthparts, the walking limbs and primarily on their two pairs of antennae. Here, we focus on the olfactory pathway associated with the unimodal chemosensory sensilla on the first antennal pair, the aesthetascs. We explore the diverse arrangement of these sensilla across malacostracan taxa and point out evolutionary transformations which occurred in the central olfactory pathway. We discuss the evolution of chemoreceptor proteins, comparative aspects of active chemoreception and the temporal resolution of crustacean olfactory system. Viewing the evolution of crustacean brains in light of energetic constraints can help us understand their functional morphology and suggests that in various crustacean lineages, the brains were simplified convergently because of metabolic limitations. Comparing the wiring of afferents, interneurons and output neurons within the olfactory glomeruli suggests a deep homology of insect and crustacean olfactory systems. However, both taxa followed distinct lineages during the evolutionary elaboration of their olfactory systems. A comparison with insects suggests their olfactory systems ö especially that of the vinegar fly ö to be superb examples for "economy of design". Such a comparison also inspires new thoughts about olfactory coding and the functioning of malacostracan olfactory systems in general.

Birth, survival and differentiation of neurons in an adult crustacean brain

Life-long neurogenesis is a characteristic feature of many vertebrate and invertebrate species. In decapod crustaceans, new neurons are added throughout life to two cell clusters containing local (cluster 9) and projection (cluster 10) interneurons in the olfactory pathway. Adult-born neurons in clusters 9 and 10 in crayfish have the anatomical properties and chemistry of mature neurons by 6 months after birth. Here we use 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation to pulse label mitotically active cells in these cell clusters, followed by a survival time of up to 8 months, during which crayfish (Cherax destructor) were sacrificed at intervals and the numbers of BrdU-labeled cells quantified. We find a decrease in the numbers of BrdU-labeled cells in cell cluster 10 between the first and second weeks following BrdU exposure, suggesting a period of cell death shortly after proliferation. Additional delayed cell divisions in both cell clusters are indicated by increases in labeled cells long after the BrdU clearing time. The differentiation time of these cells into neurons was defined by detection of the first immunoreactivity for the transmitter SIFamide in cluster 10 BrdU-labeled cells, which begins at 4 weeks after BrdU labeling; the numbers of SIFamide-labeled cells continues to increase over the following month. Experiments testing whether proliferation and survival of Cluster 10 cells are influenced by locomotor activity provided no evidence of a correlation between activity levels and cell proliferation, but suggest a strong influence of locomotor activity on cell survival.

A developmental study of serotonin-immunoreactive neurons in the embryonic brain of the marbled crayfish and the migratory locust: evidence for a homologous protocerebral group of neurons

It is well established that the brains of adult malacostracan crustaceans and winged insects display distinct homologies down to the level of single neuropils such as the central complex and the optic neuropils. We wanted to know if developing insect and crustacean brains also share similarities and therefore have explored how neurotransmitter systems arise during arthropod embryogenesis. Previously, Sintoni et al. (2007) had already reported a homology of an individually identified cluster of neurons in the embryonic crayfish and insect brain, the secondary head spot cells that express the Engrailed protein. In the present study, we have documented the ontogeny of the serotonergic system in embryonic brains of the Marbled Crayfish in comparison to Migratory Locust embryos using immunohistochemical methods combined with confocal laser-scan microscopy. In both species, we found a cluster of early emerging serotonin-immunoreactive neurons in the protocerebrum with neurites that cross to the contralateral brain hemisphere in a characteristic commissure suggesting a homology of this cell cluster. Our study is a first step towards a phylogenetic analysis of neurotransmitter system development and shows that, as for the ventral nerve cord, traits related to neurogenesis in the brain can provide valuable hints for resolving the much debated question of arthropod phylogeny.

Food odor, visual danger stimulus, and retrieval of an aversive memory trigger heat shock protein HSP70 expression in the olfactory lobe of the crab Chasmagnathus granulatus

Although some of the neuronal substrates that support memory process have been shown in optic ganglia, the brain areas activated by memory process are still unknown in crustaceans. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are synthesized in the CNS not only in response to traumas but also after changes in metabolic activity triggered by the processing of different types of sensory information. Indeed, the expression of citosolic/nuclear forms of HSP70 (HSC/HSP70) has been repeatedly used as a marker for increases in neural metabolic activity in several processes, including psychophysiological stress, fear conditioning, and spatial learning in vertebrates. Previously, we have shown that, in the crab Chasmagnathus, two different environmental challenges, water deprivation and heat shock, trigger a rise in the number of glomeruli of the olfactory lobes (OLs) expressing HSC/HSP70. In this study, we initially performed a morphometric analysis and identified a total of 154 glomeruli in each OL of Chasmagnathus. Here, we found that crabs exposed to food odor stimuli also showed a significant rise in the number of olfactory glomeruli expressing HSC/HSP70. In the crab Chasmagnathus, a powerful memory paradigm based on a change in its defensive strategy against a visual danger stimulus (VDS) has been extensively studied. Remarkably, the iterative presentation of a VDS caused an increase as well. This increase was triggered in animals visually stimulated using protocols that either build up a long-term memory or generate only short-term habituation. Besides, memory reactivation was sufficient to trigger the increase in HSC/HSP70 expression in the OL. Present and previous results strongly suggest that, directly or indirectly, an increase in arousal is a sufficient condition to bring about an increase in HSC/HSP70 expression in the OL of Chasmagnathus.

Morphology of the brain in Hutchinsoniella macracantha (Cephalocarida, Crustacea)

External morphological features of Cephalocarida have long been interpreted as plesiomorphic with regard to those of other crustaceans. Based on transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy, however, the brain in the cephalocarid Hutchinsoniella macracantha has been shown to contain a number of structures that are more difficult to interpret in an evolutionary context. These include the multi-lobed complex, a unique cluster of neuropils associated with the olfactory lobes. To establish a well-founded comparison of phylogenetically relevant, neuroanatomical data from Cephalocarida to other arthropods, we investigated the brain in H. macracantha using immunolabeling (acetylated α-tubulin, serotonin, RFamide, histamine) and nuclear counter stains of whole mounts and vibratome sections analyzing specimens with confocal laser scanning microscopy and computer-aided 3D-reconstruction. Other 3D-reconstructions were based on serial 1 μm semi-thin sections. The multi-lobed complex features a pedunculus and shows detailed homologies with the mushroom bodies of certain Insecta and Lithobiomorpha (Chilopoda), suggesting that the hemiellipsoid bodies in Remipedia and Malacostraca have derived from a cephalocarid-like pattern. Like the corresponding tracts in Insecta, the olfactory globular tracts linking the multi-lobed complex to the olfactory lobes are ipsilateral, probably constituting the plesiomorphic pattern from which the decussating tracts in Remipedia and Malacostraca have evolved. The olfactory lobes in H. macracantha are uniquely organized into vertical stacks of olfactory glomeruli whose exact shape could not be identified. Similarly to Malacostraca and Insecta, the olfactory glomeruli in H. macracantha are innervated by serotonin-like, RFamide-like, and histamine-like immunoreactive interneurons. This suggests homology of the olfactory lobes across Tetraconata, despite the different morphological organization. Although H. macracantha lacks elongated, unpaired midline neuropils known from the protocerebrum of other Arthropoda, the possible rudiment of a central-body-like neuropil that receives decussating fibers from anterior somata was revealed by the serotonin-like immunoreactive pattern.

d-Amphetamine stimulates unconditioned exploration/approach behaviors in crayfish: towards a conserved evolutionary function of ancestral drug reward

In mammals, rewarding properties of drugs depend on their capacity to activate a dopamine-mediated appetitive motivational seeking state--a system that allows animals to pursue and find all kinds of objects and events needed for survival. With such states strongly conserved in evolution, invertebrates have recently been developed into a powerful model in addiction research, where a shared ancestral brain system for the acquisition of reward can mediate drug addiction in many species. A conditioned place preference paradigm has illustrated that crayfish seek out environments that had previously been paired with psychostimulant and opioid administration. The present work demonstrates that the administration of D-amphetamine stimulates active explorative behaviors in crayfish through the action of the drug within their head ganglion. Crayfish, with a modularly organized and experimentally accessible, ganglionic nervous system offers a unique model to investigate (1) the fundamental, biological mechanisms of addictive drug reward; (2) how an appetitive/seeking disposition is implemented in a simple neural system, and (3) how it mediates the rewarding actions of major drugs of abuse.

Drug-sensitive reward in crayfish: an invertebrate model system for the study of SEEKING, reward, addiction, and withdrawal

In mammals, rewarding properties of drugs depend on their capacity to activate appetitive motivational states. With the underlying mechanisms strongly conserved in evolution, invertebrates have recently emerged as a powerful new model in addiction research. In crayfish natural reward has proven surprisingly sensitive to human drugs of abuse, opening an unlikely avenue of research into the basic biological mechanisms of drug addiction. In a series of studies we first examined the presence of natural reward systems in crayfish, then characterized its sensitivity to a wide range of human drugs of abuse. A conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm was used to demonstrate that crayfish seek out those environments that had previously been paired with the psychostimulants cocaine and amphetamine, and the opioid morphine. The administration of amphetamine exerted its effects at a number of sites, including the stimulation of circuits for active exploratory behaviors (i.e., SEEKING). A further study examined morphine-induced reward, extinction and reinstatement in crayfish. Repeated intra-circulatory infusions of morphine served as a reward when paired with distinct visual or tactile cues. Morphine-induced CPP was extinguished after repeated saline injections. Following this extinction phase, morphine-experienced crayfish were once again challenged with the drug. The priming injections of morphine reinstated CPP at all tested doses, suggesting that morphine-induced CPP is unrelenting. In an exploration of drug-associated behavioral sensitization in crayfish we concurrently mapped measures of locomotion and rewarding properties of morphine. Single and repeated intra-circulatory infusions of morphine resulted in persistent locomotory sensitization, even 5 days following the infusion. Moreover, a single dose of morphine was sufficient to induce long-term behavioral sensitization. CPP for morphine and context-dependent cues could not be disrupted over a drug free period of 5 days. This work demonstrates that crayfish offer a comparative and complementary approach in addiction research. Serving as an invertebrate animal model for the exposure to mammalian drugs of abuse, modularly organized and experimentally accessible nervous systems render crayfish uniquely suited for studying (1) the basic biological mechanisms of drug effects, (2) to explore how the appetitive/seeking disposition is implemented in a simple neural system, and (3) how such a disposition is related to the rewarding action of drugs of abuse. This work aimed to contribute an evolutionary, comparative context to our understanding of a key component in learning, and of natural reward as an important life-sustaining process.

Brain architecture of the largest living land arthropod, the Giant Robber Crab Birgus latro (Crustacea, Anomura, Coenobitidae): evidence for a prominent central olfactory pathway?

BACKGROUND

Several lineages within the Crustacea conquered land independently during evolution, thereby requiring physiological adaptations for a semi-terrestrial or even a fully terrestrial lifestyle. Birgus latro Linnaeus, 1767, the giant robber crab or coconut crab (Anomura, Coenobitidae), is the largest land-living arthropod and inhabits Indo-Pacific islands such as Christmas Island. B. latro has served as a model in numerous studies of physiological aspects related to the conquest of land by crustaceans. From an olfactory point of view, a transition from sea to land means that molecules need to be detected in gas phase instead of in water solution. Previous studies have provided physiological evidence that terrestrial hermit crabs (Coenobitidae) such as B. latro have a sensitive and well differentiated sense of smell. Here we analyze the brain, in particular the olfactory processing areas of B. latro, by morphological analysis followed by 3 D reconstruction and immunocytochemical studies of synaptic proteins and a neuropeptide.

RESULTS

The primary and secondary olfactory centers dominate the brain of B. latro and together account for ca. 40% of the neuropil volume in its brain. The paired olfactory neuropils are tripartite and composed of more than 1,000 columnar olfactory glomeruli, which are radially arranged around the periphery of the olfactory neuropils. The glomeruli are innervated ca. 90,000 local interneurons and ca. 160,000 projection neurons per side. The secondary olfactory centers, the paired hemiellipsoid neuropils, are targeted by the axons of these olfactory projection neurons. The projection neuron axonal branches make contact to ca. 250.000 interneurons (per side) associated with the hemiellipsoid neuropils. The hemiellipsoid body neuropil is organized into parallel neuropil lamellae, a design that is quite unusual for decapod crustaceans. The architecture of the optic neuropils and areas associated with antenna two suggest that B. latro has visual and mechanosensory skills that are comparable to those of marine Crustacea.

CONCLUSIONS

In parallel to previous behavioral findings that B. latro has aerial olfaction, our results indicate that their central olfactory pathway is indeed most prominent. Similar findings from the closely related terrestrial hermit crab Coenobita clypeatus suggest that in Coenobitidae, olfaction is a major sensory modality processed by the brain, and that for these animals, exploring the olfactory landscape is vital for survival in their terrestrial habitat. Future studies on terrestrial members of other crustacean taxa such as Isopoda, Amphipoda, Astacida, and Brachyura will shed light on how frequently the establishment of an aerial sense of olfaction evolved in Crustacea during the transition from sea to land. Amounting to ca. 1,000,000, the numbers of interneurons that analyse the olfactory input in B. latro brains surpasses that in other terrestrial arthropods, as e.g. the honeybee Apis mellifera or the moth Manduca sexta, by two orders of magnitude suggesting that B. latro in fact is a land-living arthropod that has devoted a substantial amount of nervous tissue to the sense of smell.

An identified serotonergic neuron regulates adult neurogenesis in the crustacean brain

New neurons are born and integrated into functional circuits in the brains of many adult organisms. In virtually all of these systems, serotonin is a potent regulator of neuronal proliferation. Specific neural pathways underlying these serotonergic influences have not, however, been identified and manipulated. The goal of this study was to test whether adult neurogenesis in the crustacean brain is influenced by electrical activity in the serotonergic dorsal giant neurons (DGNs) innervating the primary olfactory processing areas, the olfactory lobes, and higher order centers, the accessory lobes. Adult-born neurons occur in two interneuronal cell clusters that are part of the olfactory pathway. This study demonstrates that neurogenesis also continues in these areas in a dissected, perfused brain preparation, although the rate of neuronal production is lower than in brains from intact same-sized animals. Inclusion of 10(-9) M serotonin in the perfusate delivered to the dissected brain preparation restores the rate of neurogenesis to in vivo levels. Although subthreshold stimulation of the DGN does not significantly alter the rate of neurogenesis, electrical activation of a single DGN results in significant increases in neurogenesis in Cluster 10 on the same side of the brain, when compared with levels on the contralateral, unstimulated side. Measurements of serotonin levels in the perfusate using high-performance liquid chromatography established that serotonin levels are elevated about 10-fold during DGN stimulation, confirming that serotonin is released during DGN activity. This is the first identified neural pathway through which adult neurogenesis has been directly manipulated.

Hormonal and synaptic influences of serotonin on adult neurogenesis

New neurons are incorporated into the adult brains of a variety of organisms, from humans and higher vertebrates, to non-vertebrates such as crustaceans. In virtually all of these systems serotonergic pathways appear to provide important regulatory influences over the machinery producing the new neurons. We have developed an in vitro preparation where adult neurogenesis can be maintained under highly controlled conditions, and are using this to test the influence of hormones on the production of neurons in the crustacean (Homarus americanus) brain. Serotonin levels have been manipulated in this in vitro preparation, and the resulting effects on the rate of neurogenesis have been documented. In addition we have compared in vitro influences of serotonin with results acquired from in vivo exposure of whole animals to serotonin. These experiments suggest that there are multiple mechanisms and pathways by which serotonin may regulate neurogenesis in the crustacean brain: (1) serotonin is effective in regulating neurogenesis at levels as low as 10(-10)M, suggesting that circulating serotonin may have hormonal influences on neuronal precursor cells residing in a vascular niche or the proliferation zones; (2) contrasting effects of serotonin on neurogenesis (up- vs. down-regulation) at high concentrations (10(-4)M), dependent upon whether eyestalk tissue is present or absent, indicate that serotonin elicits the release of substances from the sinus glands that are capable of suppressing neurogenesis; (3) previously demonstrated (Beltz, B.S., Benton, J.L., Sullivan, J.M., 2001. Transient uptake of serotonin by newborn olfactory projection neurons. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98, 12730-12735) serotonergic fibers from the dorsal giant neuron project directly into the proliferation zone in Cluster 10, suggest synaptic or local influences on neurogenesis in the proliferation zones where the final cell divisions and neuronal differentiation occur. Serotonin therefore regulates neurogenesis by multiple pathways, and the specific mode of influence is concentration-dependent.

Brain architecture in the terrestrial hermit crab Coenobita clypeatus (Anomura, Coenobitidae), a crustacean with a good aerial sense of smell

Background

During the evolutionary radiation of Crustacea, several lineages in this taxon convergently succeeded in meeting the physiological challenges connected to establishing a fully terrestrial life style. These physiological adaptations include the need for sensory organs of terrestrial species to function in air rather than in water. Previous behavioral and neuroethological studies have provided solid evidence that the land hermit crabs (Coenobitidae, Anomura) are a group of crustaceans that have evolved a good sense of aerial olfaction during the conquest of land. We wanted to study the central olfactory processing areas in the brains of these organisms and to that end analyzed the brain of Coenobita clypeatus (Herbst, 1791; Anomura, Coenobitidae), a fully terrestrial tropical hermit crab, by immunohistochemistry against synaptic proteins, serotonin, FMRFamide-related peptides, and glutamine synthetase.

Results

The primary olfactory centers in this species dominate the brain and are composed of many elongate olfactory glomeruli. The secondary olfactory centers that receive an input from olfactory projection neurons are almost equally large as the olfactory lobes and are organized into parallel neuropil lamellae. The architecture of the optic neuropils and those areas associated with antenna two suggest that C. clypeatus has visual and mechanosensory skills that are comparable to those of marine Crustacea.

Conclusion

In parallel to previous behavioral findings of a good sense of aerial olfaction in C. clypeatus, our results indicate that in fact their central olfactory pathway is most prominent, indicating that olfaction is a major sensory modality that these brains process. Interestingly, the secondary olfactory neuropils of insects, the mushroom bodies, also display a layered structure (vertical and medial lobes), superficially similar to the lamellae in the secondary olfactory centers of C. clypeatus. More detailed analyses with additional markers will be necessary to explore the question if these similarities have evolved convergently with the establishment of superb aerial olfactory abilities or if this design goes back to a shared principle in the common ancestor of Crustacea and Hexapoda.

Immunolocalisation of crustacean-SIFamide in the median brain and eyestalk neuropils of the marbled crayfish

Crustacean-SIFamide (GYRKPPFNGSIFamide) is a novel neuropeptide that was recently isolated from crayfish nervous tissue. We mapped the localisation of this peptide in the median brain and eyestalk neuropils of the marbled crayfish (Marmorkrebs), a parthenogenetic crustacean. Our experiments showed that crustacean-SIFamide is strongly expressed in all major compartments of the crayfish brain, including all three optic neuropils, the lateral protocerebrum with the hemiellipsoid body, and the medial protocerebrum with the central complex. These findings imply a role of this peptide in visual processing already at the level of the lamina but also at the level of the deeper relay stations. Immunolabelling is particularly strong in the accessory lobes and the deutocerebral olfactory lobes that receive a chemosensory input from the first antennae. Most cells of the olfactory globular tract, a projection neuron pathway that links deuto- and protocerebrum, are labelled. This pathway plays a central role in conveying tactile and olfactory stimuli to the lateral protocerebrum, where this input converges with optic information. Weak labelling is also present in the tritocerebrum that is associated with the mechanosensory second antennae. Taken together, we suggest an important role of crustacean-SIFamidergic neurons in processing high-order, multimodal input in the crayfish brain.

Regulation of serotonin levels by multiple light-entrainable endogenous rhythms

This study examined whether serotonin levels in the brain of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, are under circadian control. Using high-performance liquid chromatography and semi-quantitative immunocytochemical methods, we measured serotonin levels in the brains of lobsters at six time points during a 24-h period. Lobsters were maintained for 2 weeks on a 12 h:12 h light:dark cycle followed by 3 days of constant darkness. Under these conditions, brain serotonin levels varied rhythmically,with a peak before subjective dusk and a trough before subjective dawn. This persistent circadian rhythm in constant darkness indicates that serotonin levels are controlled by an endogenous clock. Animals exposed to a shifted light cycle for >10 days, followed by 3 days in constant darkness,demonstrate that this rhythm is light entrainable. Separate analyses of two pairs of large deutocerebral neuropils, the accessory and olfactory lobes,show that serotonin levels in these functionally distinct areas also exhibit circadian rhythms but that these rhythms are out of phase with one another. The olfactory and accessory lobe rhythms are also endogenous and light entrainable, suggesting the presence of multiple clock mechanisms regulating serotonin levels in different brain regions.

Integration and segregation of inputs to higher-order neuropils of the crayfish brain

Information about the input and output pathways of higher-order brain neuropils is essential for gaining an understanding of their functions. The present study examines the connectivity of two higher-order neuropils in the central olfactory pathway of the crayfish: the accessory lobe and its target neuropil, the hemiellipsoid body. It is known that the two subregions of the accessory lobe, the cortex and medulla, receive different inputs; the medulla receives visual and tactile inputs, whereas the cortex receives neither (Sandeman et al. [1995] J Comp Neurol 352:263-279). By using dye injections into the olfactory lobe, we demonstrate that the accessory lobe cortex and medulla also have differing connections with the olfactory lobe. These injections show that local interneurons joining the olfactory and accessory lobes branch primarily within the cortex with only limited branching within the medulla. Injections of different dyes into the two subregions of the hemiellipsoid body, HBI and HBII, show that the accessory lobe cortex and medulla also have separate output pathways. HBI is innervated by the output pathway from the cortex while HBII is innervated by the output pathway from the medulla. These injections also show that HBI and HBII are innervated by separate populations of local interneurons with differing connections to higher-order neuropils in the olfactory and visual pathways. These results suggest a segregation of olfactory and multimodal (including olfactory) inputs within both the accessory lobe and the hemiellipsoid body and provide evidence of important functional subdivisions within both neuropils.

The peripheral and central antennular pathway of the Caribbean stomatopod crustacean Neogonodactylus oerstedii

Although stomatopod crustaceans use their chemical senses in many facets of behavior, little is known about their chemosensory neural pathways, especially in comparison to the better-studied decapod crustaceans. We examined the stomatopod Neogonodactylus oerstedii to determine organizational aspects of peripheral and central neural pathway of antennules, which is a major chemosensory organ. We describe the three flagella of the triramous antennule as the medial, dorsolateral, and ventrolateral flagella. The primary branch point is between the medial flagellum and lateral flagella, and the secondary branch point is at the junction of the dorsolateral and ventrolateral flagella. The antennule bears at least three types of setae, based on their external morphology. Simple setae are present only on the medial flagellum and ventrolateral flagellum, organized as a tuft of 10-15 setae on each flagellar annulus. Aesthetasc setae and asymmetric setae occur only on the distal annuli of the dorsolateral flagellum, with each annulus bearing a row of three aesthetascs and one asymmetric seta. DiI fills of the antennular nerve near the junction of the flagella show that sensory neurons in the antennular flagella project to two neuropils in the ipsilateral midbrain-the olfactory lobe (OL) and lateral antennular neuropil (LAN). The OL is glomerular and has rich serotonergic innervation, a characteristic of the OL in decapods. The LAN is bi-lobed and stratified as it is in decapods. However, the LAN of stomatopods differs from that of decapods in being relatively large and containing extensive serotonergic innervation. The median antennular neuropil of stomatopods has sparse serotonergic innervation, and it is more diffusely organized compared to decapods. No accessory lobes were found in N. oerstedii. Thus, the stomatopod antennular flagella have the same two, highly organized parallel pathways common to decapods-the OL pathway and the LAN pathway.

Regulation of life-long neurogenesis in the decapod crustacean brain

This article provides an overview of our understanding of life-long neurogenesis in the decapod crustacean brain, where the proliferation of sensory and interneurons is controlled by many of the same factors as is neurogenesis in the mammalian brain. The relative simplicity, spatial organization and accessibility of the crustacean brain provide opportunities to examine specific neuronal pathways that regulate neurogenesis and the sequence of gene expression that leads to neuronal differentiation.

Ecological, evolutionary, and functional correlates of sensilla number and glomerular density in the olfactory system of decapod crustaceans

One of the features common among olfactory systems for vertebrate and invertebrate species is the division of the primary processing area into distinct clumps of synaptic neuropil, called glomeruli. The olfactory glomeruli appear to serve as functional units of olfaction and are the location of the primary processing between chemosensory afferents and second-order neurons. Although glomeruli are found across all phyla, their numbers and size appear to be characteristic for each species, giving rise to the speculation that there is a relationship between glomerular number and function. It has been hypothesized, for example, that animals with more glomeruli may be able to resolve a wider range of odors. Crustacean species are distributed among freshwater, marine, and terrestrial habitats in arctic, temperate, and tropical climates. They also exhibit a variety of lifestyles and behaviors in which olfaction may play a dominant role. Feeding, for example, ranges from carnivorous, through subaquatic and terrestrial omnivorous scavenging, to filter feeding. Mating and territorial behaviors also are known to involve chemical signals. The current study examines glomerular numbers in the olfactory lobes of 17 crustacean species from six of the seven taxa now included in the reptantian decapods. Estimates of the glomerular numbers were obtained from the analysis of sectioned material treated immunocytochemically with an antibody against synapsin that labels proteins contained in neuronal terminals. The numbers of glomeruli found in the different species were then compared with the volume of the glomerular neuropil, numbers of olfactory sensilla, life styles, habitat, and phylogenetic affinities. The picture that emerges from these correlations is that the decapod crustaceans have exploited various strategies in the construction of their olfactory systems in which the problems of size, sensitivity, and selectivity have all interacted. We find a continuum across the groups ranging from those that favor a high convergence of receptor neurons onto a few glomeruli to those that share a small number of receptor neurons among many glomeruli. The potential functional consequences of these differences are discussed.

Neural pathways connecting the deutocerebrum and lateral protocerebrum in the brains of decapod crustaceans

The olfactory and accessory lobes of eureptantian decapod crustaceans are bilateral brain neuropil regions located within the deutocerebrum. Although the olfactory lobe seems to receive only primary olfactory inputs, the accessory lobe receives higher-order multimodal (including olfactory) inputs. The output pathways from both the olfactory and accessory lobes are provided by the axons of a large population of projection neurons, whose somata lie adjacent to the lobes. The axons of these neurons form a large tract that projects bilaterally to the medulla terminalis and hemiellipsoid body in the lateral protocerebrum. To gain insights into the ways in which olfactory information is processed on leaving the deutocerebrum, we examined the neuroanatomy of the projection neuron pathways of three species of eureptantian decapod crustaceans: the freshwater crayfish, Procambarus clarkii and Orconectes rusticus, and the clawed lobster, Homarus americanus. Projection neurons were labeled by focal injections of the lipophilic tracers DiI and DiA into the olfactory and accessory lobes. In all three species, projection neurons innervating the accessory lobe were found to exclusively innervate the neuropils of the hemiellipsoid body. In contrast, projection neurons innervating the olfactory lobes primarily target neuropil regions of the medulla terminalis. The results of this study indicate, therefore, that the projection neuron pathways from the olfactory and accessory lobes project to separate, largely nonoverlapping regions of the lateral protocerebrum. The implications of these findings for our understanding of the processing of olfactory information in the brains of decapod crustaceans are discussed.

Effects of serotonin depletion on local interneurons in the developing olfactory pathway of lobsters

During embryonic life, the growth of the olfactory and accessory lobes of the lobster brain is retarded by serotonin depletion using 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) (Benton et al., 1997). The local and projection interneurons that synapse with chemosensory cells in the olfactory lobes are potential targets of this depletion. This study documents proliferation and survival in the local interneuron cell clusters, and examines the differentiation of a prominent local interneuron, the serotonergic dorsal giant neuron (DGN), following serotonin depletion. An increase in dye coupling between the DGN and nearby cells is seen after serotonin depletion. However, morphometric analyses of individual DGNs in normal, sham-injected, and 5,7-DHT-treated embryos show that the general morphology and size of the DGNs are not significantly altered by serotonin depletion. Thus, the DGN axonal arbor occupies a greater proportion of the reduced olfactory lobes in the 5,7-DHT-treated embryos than in normal and sham-injected groups. The paired olfactory globular tract neutrophils (OGTNs), where olfactory interneurons synapse onto the DGNs, are 75% smaller in volume than the comparable region in either sham-injected or normal embryos. In vivo experiments using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) show that proliferation in the local interneuron soma clusters is reduced by 5,7-DHT treatment and that survival of newly proliferated local interneurons is also compromised. Our data suggest that alterations in the growth of the DGNs do not contribute to the dramatic reduction in size of the olfactory neutrophils following serotonin depletion, but that cell proliferation and survival among the local interneurons are regulated by serotonin during development. Reduced numbers of local interneurons are therefore one likely reason for the growth reduction observed after serotonin depletion.

Rhythmic changes in the serotonin content of the brain and eyestalk of crayfish during development

The present study investigated developmental circadian changes in the content of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in two structures proposed to contain pacemakers in crayfish Procambarus clarkii: the cerebral ganglion and the eyestalks. Crayfish (N=260) from three developmental stages were divided into two groups: (1) animals subjected to 12 h:12 h light:dark cycles for 10 days and (2) animals treated as described above, then exposed to 72 h of continuous dim light. Crayfish from both groups were killed at different times of day, and the cerebral ganglion and the eyestalks of each were assayed for 5-HT by reversed-phase HPLC with electrochemical detection. In all stages of development, 5-HT content (expressed as (μ)g g(−)(1)wet mass tissue) showed circadian variations in both structures analyzed; rhythms continued to free-run under constant illumination, and total 5-HT content was higher in the brain (0.581+/−0.36 (μ)g g(−)(1); mean +/− s.e.m.) than in the eyestalks (0.299+/−0.15 (μ)g g(−)(1)). As development advances, the percentage of the rhythm that shows periods of 24 h diminishes, while the percentage of the rhythm that shows periods of 9 to 12 h increases. This seems to indicate that pulsatile variations in 5-HT content are superimposed in a circadian component. The relationship between the 5-HT rhythm and electroretinogram and motor activity rhythms during development is discussed.

From embryo to adult: persistent neurogenesis and apoptotic cell death shape the lobster deutocerebrum

Neuronal plasticity and synaptic remodeling play important roles during the development of the invertebrate nervous system. In addition, structural neuroplasticity as a result of long-term environmental changes, behavioral modifications, age, and experience have been demonstrated in the brains of sexually mature insects. In adult vertebrates, persistent neurogenesis is found in the granule cell layer of the mammalian hippocampus and the subventricular zone, as well as in the telencephalon of songbirds, indicating that persistent neurogenesis, which is presumably related to plasticity and learning, may be an integral part of the normal biology of the mature brain. In decapod crustaceans, persistent neurogenesis among olfactory projection neurons is a common principle that shapes the adult brain, indicating a remarkable degree of life-long structural plasticity. The present study closes a gap in our knowledge of this phenomenon by describing the continuous cell proliferation and gradual displacement of proliferation domains in the central olfactory pathway of the American lobster Homarus americanus from early embryonic through larval and juvenile stages into adult life. Neurogenesis in the deutocerebrum was examined by the in vivo incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine, and development and structural maturation of the deutocerebral neuropils were studied using immunohistochemistry against Drosophila synapsin. The role of apoptotic cell death in shaping the developing deutocerebrum was studied using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling method, combined with immunolabeling using an antiphospho histone H3 mitosis marker. Our results indicate that, in juvenile and adult lobsters, birth and death of olfactory interneurons occur in parallel, suggesting a turnover of these cells. When the persistent neurogenesis and concurrent death of interneurons in the central olfactory pathway of the crustacean brain are taken into account with the life-long turnover of olfactory receptor cells in crustacean antennules, a new, highly dynamic picture of olfaction in crustaceans emerges.

Serotonin-immunoreactive neurones in the visual system of the praying mantis: an immunohistochemical, confocal laser scanning and electron microscopic study

The distribution, number, and morphology of serotonin-immunoreactive (5-HTi) neurones in the optic lobe of the praying mantis Tenodera sinensis were studied using conventional microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Five or six 5-HTi neurones connect the lobula complex with the medulla, and at least 50 5-HTi neurones appear to be confined to the medulla. In addition, a few large 5-HTi processes from the protocerebrum supply the lobula complex, and two large 5-HTi processes from the protocerebrum ramify in the medulla and lamina, where they show wide field arborisations. In order to provide a basis for understanding the action of serotonin in the lamina, the ultrastructure of its 5-HTi terminals was examined by conventional and immunohistochemical electron microscopy. The 5-HTi profiles were filled with dense core vesicles and made synapses. Output synapses from 5-HTi profiles outnumbered inputs by about 3 to 1. The terminals of the 5-HTi neurones were in close contact with cells of various types, including large monopolar cells, but close apposition to photoreceptor terminals was rare, and no synapses were found between 5-HTi terminals and photoreceptor terminals.

Distribution and functional anatomy of amine-containing neurons in decapod crustaceans

One of the lessons learned from studying the nervous systems of phylogenetically distant species is that many features are conserved. Indeed, aminergic neurons in invertebrate and vertebrate systems share a multitude of common characteristics. In this review, the varied roles of serotonin, octopamine, dopamine, and histamine in decapod crustaceans are considered, and the distributions of the amine-containing cells are described. The anatomy of these systems reinforces the idea that amine neurons are involved in widespread modulation and coordination within the nervous system. Many aminergic neurons have long projections, linking multiple regions with a common input, and therefore are anatomically perfected as "gain setters." The developmental patterns of appearance of each amine in the crustacean nervous system are described and compared. The developmental picture suggests that transmitter acquisition is distinctive for each amine, and that the pace of acquisition may be co-regulated with target maturation. The distinctive roles that transmitters play during specific developmental periods may, ultimately, provide important clues to their functional contributions in the mature organism.

Growth-related and antennular amputation-induced changes in the olfactory centers of crayfish brain

Freshwater crayfish increase in size throughout their lives, and this growth is accompanied by an increase in the length of the appendages and number of mechanoreceptive and chemoreceptive sensilla on them. We find that in the Australian freshwater crayfish Cherax destructor, neuropil volumes of the olfactory centers increase linearly with body size over the entire size range of animals found in their natural habitat. The number of cell somata of two groups of interneurons associated with the olfactory centers (projection neurons and small local neurons) also increases linearly with the size of the animals. In contrast, axon counts of interneurons that represent a nonolfactory input to the olfactory centers show that these reach a total number in the very early adult stages that then remains constant regardless of the size of the animal. Only the axon diameter of these interneurons increases linearly with body size. Amputation of the antennule and olfactory sensilla reduces the number of projection and local interneurons on the amputated side. No change in the size of the olfactory centers occurs on the unamputated side. Amputation of the olfactory receptor neurons in crayfish therefore leads not only to a degeneration of the receptor cell endings in the olfactory lobe but also to a trans-synaptic response in which the number of higher order neurons decreases. Reconstitution of the antennule and olfactory receptor neurons in small adult crayfish is accompanied by the reestablishment of the normal number of interneurons and neuropil volume in the olfactory centers.

Distribution of centrifugal neurons targeting the soma clusters of the olfactory midbrain among decapod crustaceans

To determine the distribution of two systems of centrifugal neurons innervating the soma clusters of the olfactory midbrain across decapod crustaceans, brains of the following nine species comprising most infraorders were immunostained with antibodies against dopamine and the neuropeptides substance P and FMRFamide: Macrobrachium rosenbergii, Homarus americanus, Cherax destructor, Orconectes limosus, Procambarus clarkii, Astacus leptodactylus, Carcinus maenas, Eriocheir sinensis and Pagurus bernhardus. One system consisting of several neurons with dopamine-like immunoreactivity that originate in the eyestalk ganglia was present in the four crayfish but not in any other species. These neurons project mainly into the lateral soma clusters (cluster 10) comprising the somata of ascending olfactory projection neurons and innervate very sparsely the medial soma clusters (clusters 9 and 11) containing the somata of local interneurons. In the innervation pattern of the lateral cluster, the dopamine-immunoreactive neurons showed large species-specific differences. The other system comprises a pair of giant neurons with substance P-like immunoreactivity. These neurons have somata in the median protocerebrum of the central brain and major projections into the lateral clusters and the core of the olfactory lobes, the neuropils that are the first synaptic relay in the central olfactory pathway of decapods; minor arborizations are present in the medial clusters. The system of substance P-immunoreactive giant neurons was present and of great morphological similarity in all studied species. Only in one species, the shrimp Macrobrachium rosenbergii, evidence for co-localization of FMRFamide-like with substance P-like immunoreactivity in these neurons was obtained. These and previously collected data indicate that the centrifugal neurons with dopamine-like immunoreactivity may be associated with the presence of an accessory lobe, a second-order neuropil that receives input from the olfactory lobe and only occurs in spiny lobsters, clawed lobsters and crayfish. The pair of centrifugal giant neurons with substance P-like immunoreactivity, on the other hand, appears to be a constitutive component of the decapod crustacean brain that most likely is functionally associated with the olfactory lobe. Both systems apparently exert modulatory functions on olfactory information processing by preferentially targeting the somata of the projection neurons. Thus, in the olfactory projection neurons, the somata seem to be more directly involved in information processing than in most other neurons of the arthropod CNS.