Abstract
Antennae of the moth, Manduca sexta, are thickly populated with sensory neurons, which send axons through antennal nerves to the brain. These neurons arise by cell divisions and differentiate synchronously during the 18 days of metamorphosis from pupa to adult. Biochemical studies support the hypothesis that antennal neurons use acetylcholine (ACh) as a neurotransmitter: (1) Antennae incubated with [14C]choline synthesize and store [14C]ACh; several other transmitter candidates do not accumulate detectably when appropriate radioactive precursors are supplied; (2) antennae and antennal nerves contain endogenous ACh; and (3) extracts of mature antennae contain choline acetyltransferase (ChAc) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with properties similar to those reported for the enzymes from other arthropods. Levels of ACh, ChAc, and AChE begin to increase in antennae soon after the sensory neurons are "born." Levels rise exponentially for over a week as the neurons differentiate and then reach a plateau, at about the time the neurons reach morphological maturity, that is maintained into adulthood. In contrast, levels of carnitine acetyltransferase, cholinesterase, and soluble protein, presumably not confined to nervous tissue, change little during metamorphosis. Levels of ACh, ChAc, and AChE rise in an intracranial segment of antennal nerve at about the same time as in the antenna, indicating that axons can transport neurotransmitter machinery at an early stage in their development.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 105-120 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Developmental Biology |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1976 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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- Developmental Biology
Cite this
Acetylcholine and its metabolic enzymes in developing antennae of the moth, Manduca sexta. / Sanes, Joshua R.; Hildebrand, John G.
In: Developmental Biology, Vol. 52, No. 1, 1976, p. 105-120.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Acetylcholine and its metabolic enzymes in developing antennae of the moth, Manduca sexta
AU - Sanes, Joshua R.
AU - Hildebrand, John G
PY - 1976
Y1 - 1976
N2 - Antennae of the moth, Manduca sexta, are thickly populated with sensory neurons, which send axons through antennal nerves to the brain. These neurons arise by cell divisions and differentiate synchronously during the 18 days of metamorphosis from pupa to adult. Biochemical studies support the hypothesis that antennal neurons use acetylcholine (ACh) as a neurotransmitter: (1) Antennae incubated with [14C]choline synthesize and store [14C]ACh; several other transmitter candidates do not accumulate detectably when appropriate radioactive precursors are supplied; (2) antennae and antennal nerves contain endogenous ACh; and (3) extracts of mature antennae contain choline acetyltransferase (ChAc) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with properties similar to those reported for the enzymes from other arthropods. Levels of ACh, ChAc, and AChE begin to increase in antennae soon after the sensory neurons are "born." Levels rise exponentially for over a week as the neurons differentiate and then reach a plateau, at about the time the neurons reach morphological maturity, that is maintained into adulthood. In contrast, levels of carnitine acetyltransferase, cholinesterase, and soluble protein, presumably not confined to nervous tissue, change little during metamorphosis. Levels of ACh, ChAc, and AChE rise in an intracranial segment of antennal nerve at about the same time as in the antenna, indicating that axons can transport neurotransmitter machinery at an early stage in their development.
AB - Antennae of the moth, Manduca sexta, are thickly populated with sensory neurons, which send axons through antennal nerves to the brain. These neurons arise by cell divisions and differentiate synchronously during the 18 days of metamorphosis from pupa to adult. Biochemical studies support the hypothesis that antennal neurons use acetylcholine (ACh) as a neurotransmitter: (1) Antennae incubated with [14C]choline synthesize and store [14C]ACh; several other transmitter candidates do not accumulate detectably when appropriate radioactive precursors are supplied; (2) antennae and antennal nerves contain endogenous ACh; and (3) extracts of mature antennae contain choline acetyltransferase (ChAc) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with properties similar to those reported for the enzymes from other arthropods. Levels of ACh, ChAc, and AChE begin to increase in antennae soon after the sensory neurons are "born." Levels rise exponentially for over a week as the neurons differentiate and then reach a plateau, at about the time the neurons reach morphological maturity, that is maintained into adulthood. In contrast, levels of carnitine acetyltransferase, cholinesterase, and soluble protein, presumably not confined to nervous tissue, change little during metamorphosis. Levels of ACh, ChAc, and AChE rise in an intracranial segment of antennal nerve at about the same time as in the antenna, indicating that axons can transport neurotransmitter machinery at an early stage in their development.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0017126056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0017126056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0012-1606(76)90011-7
DO - 10.1016/0012-1606(76)90011-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 183992
AN - SCOPUS:0017126056
VL - 52
SP - 105
EP - 120
JO - Developmental Biology
JF - Developmental Biology
SN - 0012-1606
IS - 1
ER -