title: Pharmacological characteristics of three silent giant neurons, v-LPSN, v-1-VOrN and v-VLN, identified on the ventral surface in the left parietal and the visceral ganglia of the suboesophageal ganglia of an African giant snail (Achatina fulica Férussac).
abstract: Three giant neurons, named v-LPSN, v-1-VOrN and v-VLN, were identified on the ventral surface of the left parietal ganglion and the visceral ganglion in the suboesophageal ganglia of an African giant snail (Achatina fulica Férussac). They lacked the spontaneous spike discharges in the normal state. The pharmacological features of the three neurons, in relation to the principal common neurotransmitter substances and their derivatives were examined. The v-LPSN (ventral-left parietal silent neuron) (diameter: about 130 microns) is situated in the left parietal ganglion close to the visceral ganglion. The neuron was excited by histamine (the minimum effective concentration [MEC]: 3 X 10(-4) M) and inhibited slightly by acetylcholine (Ach) and its related substances. The v-1-VOrN (ventral-left-visceral oral neuron) (diameter: about 130 microns) is situated in the left and oral part of the visceral ganglion. The neuron was inhibited markedly by dopamine (DA) (MEC: 3 X 10(-4) M) and slightly by Ach and its related substances. No substance producing a marked excitation of the neuron has been found yet. The v-VLN (ventral-visceral large neuron) (diameter: about 300 microns) is found in the centre of the visceral ganglion. The neuron was excited by L-norepinephrine (MEC: 10(-4) M), DL-octopamine (MEC: 2 X 10(-4) M), 5-hydroxytryptamine (MEC: 10(-4) M) and beta-hydroxy-L-glutamic acid (MEC: 10(-4) M) and inhibited by DA (MEC: 10(-4) M), GABA (MEC: 3 X 10(-5) M) and Ach (MEC: 10(-4) M). L-Epinephrine showed varied effects (MEC: 10(-4) M), which were either excitatory or inhibitory.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D002794:Choline / Q000494:pharmacology; D005724:Ganglia / Q000166:cytology; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D012908:Snails / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002395:Catecholamines; D007211:Indoles; D002794:Choline