title: Neuropeptide signaling: from the gut.
abstract: In the defecation motor program of Caenorhabditis elegans, a pacemaker rhythm generated by the intestine leads to the activation of motor neurons controlling enteric muscle contraction. A new study demonstrates that this signal is conveyed by a neuropeptide that is released from intestinal cells and acutely depolarizes the motorneurons, acting much like a classical neurotransmitter.
authors.affiliation: MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
authors.forename: Buyun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Schafer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides