Immunohistochemical identification of components of the chemoattractant signal transduction pathway in vomeronasal bipolar neurons of garter snakes.
The chemosignal transduction pathway in the vomeronasal sensory epithelium of garter snakes involves activation of G-protein-coupled receptors and subsequent generation of second messengers leading to production of an electrical signal. Calcium imaging experiments demonstrate that ligand binding to the receptor leads to an increase in intracellular calcium and that the phosphatidylinositol-turnover pathway plays a major role in this Ca(2+) increase. Here, we demonstrate, using immunohistochemistry, that IP(3) receptors are largely distributed in dendritic regions of the epithelium, ryanodine receptors are confined to the somata region, and Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger protein is expressed throughout the vomeronasal (VN) sensory epithelium.
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000032:analysis; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D017812:Colubridae / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000032:analysis; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000032:analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / Q000032:analysis; D019147:Vomeronasal Organ / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
D015220:Calcium Channels; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger; D002118:Calcium