Pharmacological Study of the Reciprocal Dual Innervation of the Lateral Ciliated Gill Epithelium by the Cns of Mytilus Edulis (Bivalvia)

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Abstract
The function of the CNS of Mytilus edulis was investigated for its role in the control of lateral ciliary activity. Ciliary beating rates were directly measured by stroboscopic microscopy of gill preparations which had the ipsilateral visceral ganglion (VG) attached. Low frequency electrical stimulation of the cerebrovisceral connective (CVC) or superfusion of the VG with serotonin increased lateral ciliary activity. This response could be antagonized by pretreating the gill with BOL or methysergide (MS), or by pretreating the VG with BOL, MS or ergonovine (ERG). High frequency stimulation of the CVC or superfusion of the VG with dopamine or epinephrine decreased lateral ciliary activity. This response could be antagonized by pretreating the gill with ERG or by pretreating the VG with ERG or MS. Acetylcholine and its mimetic acetylmethylcholine were found to be non-effective in altering ciliary activity in this study. The study demonstrates a reciprocal serotonergic-dopaminergic innervation of lateral gill ciliated cells originating in the CNS.