title: Endocannabinoid system in Xenopus laevis development: CB1 receptor dynamics.
abstract: This study investigates for the first time the dynamics of endocannabinoid system appearance during low vertebrate Xenopus laevis development. We observed that the CB1 gene started to be expressed during the organogenesis period (+/- 1 dpf, st. 28) and expression persisted throughout the three further stages analyzed. Attention was focused on the localization of the CB1 messenger that was found both at the central level (in romboencephalon and in olfactory placods) and at the peripheral level (in the gastrointestinal tract) at +/- 3 dpf (st. 41), +/- 4 dpf (st. 46) and +/- 12 dpf (st. 49). We also considered the synthesis of CB1 protein that occurred from st. 41 onwards and, from this stage, we tested the receptor functionality in response to anandamide using cytosensor microphysiometry. CB1 functionality increased with development at both central and peripheral level. These data provide sufficient evidence to encourage further analysis on endocannabinoid physiological roles during embryonic and larval X. laevis growth.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze del Mare, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche 60131, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Migliarini
authors.forename: Migliarini
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beatrice
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marucci
authors.forename: Marucci
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gabriella
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghelfi
authors.forename: Ghelfi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Francesca
authors.forename: Oliana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Carnevali
authors.forename: Carnevali
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oliana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; C078814:anandamide