Dye-coupling between cells of the salivary glands in the cockroach Periplaneta americana

Serotonergic transmission and gap junctional coupling in proventricular muscle cells in the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana

The visceral muscle tissues of insects consist of striated muscle cells. The mechanisms responsible for delivering signals to the contractile muscles in the insect digestive tract remain unclear. We found that serotonergic nerves innervate the hemocoel surfaces of foregut and midgut muscles in the American cockroach. Electron microscopy of the neuromuscular junctions in the proventriculus (gizzard) revealed typical synaptic structures, the accumulation of large core/cored vesicles (neuropeptides) and small clear vesicle (neurotransmitter) at presynapses, and synaptic clefts. However, only a limited number of muscle cells, which were located in the outer part of the muscle layer, came into contact with synapses, which contained classical neurotransmitters, such as glutamate. A gap junction channel-permeable fluorescent dye, Lucifer yellow, was microinjected into single muscle cells, and it subsequently spread to several neighboring muscle cells. The dye movement occurred in the radial (hemocoel-lumen) direction rather than tangential directions. A gap junction blocker, octanol, reversibly inhibited the dye coupling. Messenger RNA for innexin 2, a gap junction-related protein, was detected in the proventriculus. These results suggest that motile signals in the insect digestive tract only reach the outermost part of the visceral muscles and are propagated to the inner muscle cells via gap junctions. Therefore, invertebrate gap junction-related proteins have potential as new targets for pest control.

Gap junctions in Malpighian tubules ofAedes aegypti

We present electrical, physiological and molecular evidence for substantial electrical coupling of epithelial cells in Malpighian tubules via gap junctions. Current was injected into one principal cell of the isolated Malpighian tubule and membrane voltage deflections were measured in that cell and in two neighboring principal cells. By short-circuiting the transepithelial voltage with the diuretic peptide leucokinin-VIII we largely eliminated electrical coupling of principal cells through the tubule lumen,thereby allowing coupling through gap junctions to be analyzed. The analysis of an equivalent electrical circuit of the tubule yielded an average gap-junction resistance (Rgj) of 431 kΩ between two cells. This resistance would stem from 6190 open gap-junctional channels,assuming the high single gap-junction conductance of 375 pS found in vertebrate tissues. The addition of the calcium ionophore A23187 (2 μmol l–1) to the peritubular Ringer bath containing 1.7 mmol l–1 Ca2+ did not affect the gap-junction resistance, but metabolic inhibition of the tubule with dinitrophenol (0.5 mmol l–1) increased the gap-junction resistance 66-fold,suggesting the regulation of gap junctions by ATP. Lucifer Yellow injected into a principal cell did not appear in neighboring principal cells. Thus, gap junctions allow the passage of current but not Lucifer Yellow. Using RT-PCR we found evidence for the expression of innexins 1, 2, 3 and 7 (named after their homologues in Drosophila) in Malpighian tubules. The physiological demonstration of gap junctions and the molecular evidence for innexin in Malpighian tubules of Aedes aegypti call for the double cable model of the tubule, which will improve the measurement and the interpretation of electrophysiological data collected from Malpighian tubules.

Dopaminergic and serotonergic innervation of cockroach salivary glands:distribution and morphology of synapses and release sites

The paired salivary glands in the cockroach are composed of acini with ion-transporting peripheral P-cells and protein-secreting central C-cells, and a duct system for the modification of the primary saliva. Secretory activity is controlled by serotonergic and dopaminergic neurons, whose axons form a dense plexus on the glands. The spatial relationship of release sites for serotonin and dopamine to the various cell types was determined by anti-synapsin immunofluorescence confocal microscopy and electron microscopy. Every C-cell apparently has only serotonergic synapses on its surface. Serotonergic and dopaminergic fibres on the acini have their release zones at a distance of ∼0.5 μm from the P-cells. Nerves between acinar lobules may serve as neurohaemal organs and contain abundant dopaminergic and few serotonergic release sites. Some dopaminergic and serotonergic release sites reside in the duct epithelium, the former throughout the duct system, the latter only in segments next to acini. These findings are consistent with the view that C-cells respond exclusively to serotonin, P-cells to serotonin and dopamine, and most duct cells only to dopamine. Moreover, the data suggest that C-cells are stimulated by serotonin released close to their surface,whereas P-cells and most duct cells are exposed to serotonin/dopamine liberated at some distance.

Distribution of serotonergic and dopaminergic nerve fibers in the salivary gland complex of the cockroach Periplaneta americana

BACKGROUND

The cockroach salivary gland consists of secretory acini with peripheral ion-transporting cells and central protein-producing cells, an extensive duct system, and a pair of reservoirs. Salivation is controlled by serotonergic and dopaminergic innervation. Serotonin stimulates the secretion of a protein-rich saliva, dopamine causes the production of a saliva without proteins. These findings suggest a model in which serotonin acts on the central cells and possibly other cell types, and dopamine acts selectively on the ion-transporting cells. To examine this model, we have analyzed the spatial relationship of dopaminergic and serotonergic nerve fibers to the various cell types.

RESULTS

The acinar tissue is entangled in a meshwork of serotonergic and dopaminergic varicose fibers. Dopaminergic fibers reside only at the surface of the acini next to the peripheral cells. Serotonergic fibers invade the acini and form a dense network between central cells. Salivary duct segments close to the acini are locally associated with dopaminergic and serotonergic fibers, whereas duct segments further downstream have only dopaminergic fibers on their surface and within the epithelium. In addition, the reservoirs have both a dopaminergic and a serotonergic innervation.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that dopamine is released on the acinar surface, close to peripheral cells, and along the entire duct system. Serotonin is probably released close to peripheral and central cells, and at initial segments of the duct system. Moreover, the presence of serotonergic and dopaminergic fiber terminals on the reservoir indicates that the functions of this structure are also regulated by dopamine and serotonin.