title: Dopamine in a molluscan nervous system: synthesis and fluorescence histochemistry.
abstract: The nervous system of the pond snail, Helisoma trivolvis, was investigated for its ability to synthesize and accumulate 3H-catecholamines from 3H-tyrosine. 3H-Dopamine, but not 3H-norepinephrine, was synthesized by several ganglia. The highest accumulations were found in the cerebral, pedal, and buccal ganglia. The Falck-Hillarp and glyoxylic acid fluorescence histochemical techniques were applied to the buccal ganglia to visualize dopamine-containing cells. Fluorescing cells were found on both dorsal and ventral sides of the ganglion. Peripheral nerves of the buccal ganglia also displayed catecholamine fluorescence and accumulated 3H-dopamine. However, no 3H-dopamine synthesis occurred in the cerebral-buccal connectives, which connect the buccal ganglia with the rest of the central nervous system. Therefore, we conclude that there is a dopaminergic system intrinsic to the buccal ganglia and their peripheral targets.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005724:Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000378:metabolism; D012908:Snails / Q000378:metabolism*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014443:Tyrosine; D004298:Dopamine