Long-term alterations induced by injury and by 5-HT in Aplysia sensory neurons: convergent pathways and common signals?
Bodily injury in Aplysia, as in mammals, produces long-lasting memory traces at various neural loci. One consequence of injury, damage to peripheral axons, produces long-term hyperexcitability, synaptic facilitation, and growth in Aplysia sensory neurons. Similar effects are induced in these cells by repeated exposure to 5-HT that is released during aversive learning. An interesting question is to what extent cellular pathways that mediate the effects of axonal injury and 5-HT overlap. One current focus is on identifying cytoplasmic signals that initiate persistent sensory alterations that contribute to both long-term sensitization and memory of injury.
Walters
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Dept of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston 77030, USA.
Ambron
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RT
D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*
D012701:Serotonin