title: Histamine Immunoreactive Elements in the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems of the Snail, Biomphalaria spp., Intermediate Host for Schistosoma mansoni.
abstract: Histamine appears to be an important transmitter throughout the Animal Kingdom. Gastropods, in particular, have been used in numerous studies establishing potential roles for this biogenic amine in the nervous system and showing its involvement in the generation of diverse behaviours. And yet, the distribution of histamine has only previously been described in a small number of molluscan species. The present study examined the localization of histamine-like immunoreactivity in the central and peripheral nervous systems of pulmonate snails of the genus Biomphalaria. This investigation demonstrates immunoreactive cells throughout the buccal, cerebral, pedal, left parietal and visceral ganglia, indicative of diverse regulatory functions in Biomphalaria. Immunoreactivity was also present in statocyst hair cells, supporting a role for histamine in graviception. In the periphery, dense innervation by immunoreactive fibers was observed in the anterior foot, perioral zone, and other regions of the body wall. This study thus shows that histamine is an abundant transmitter in these snails and its distribution suggest involvement in numerous neural circuits. In addition to providing novel subjects for comparative studies of histaminegic neurons in gastropods, Biomphalaria is also the major intermediate host for the digenetic trematode parasite, which causes human schistosomiasis. The study therefore provides a foundation for understanding potential roles for histamine in interactions between the snail hosts and their trematode parasites.
authors.affiliation: Medical Malacology Laboratory, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Mohamed R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University,Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Azza H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University,Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Gamalat Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.affiliation: Medical Malacology Laboratory, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Sharaf El-Din
authors.affiliation: Medical Malacology Laboratory, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hanan S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Mossalem
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusSan Juan, Puerto Rico; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusSan Juan, Puerto Rico; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusSan Juan, Puerto Rico; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Solymar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rolón-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusSan Juan, Puerto Rico; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Roger P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Croll
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D005724:Ganglia / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D006632:Histamine / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D006632:Histamine