title: Presence of Octopamine and an Octopamine Receptor inCrassostrea virginica.
abstract: Octopamine is a biogenic amine first identified in octopus. It has been well studied in arthropods and a few gastropods, serving as a neurotransmitter and hormone. The presence of octopamine has rarely been reported in bivalves and has not been reported inCrassostrea virginica.We utilized HPLC to identify and measure octopamine in cerebral ganglia, visceral ganglia, gill, palps, mantle, heart and hemolymph ofC. virginica.Endogenous octopamine levels increased when animals were treated with tyramine, an octopamine precursor. A preliminary study in our lab found that octopamine has a cardio-excitatory action onC. virginicaheart. In the present study we also used immunoblotting techniques to identify an octopamine-like receptor (Pan TAAR, trace amine-associated receptor) in oyster heart. The study confirms the presence of octopamine in the nervous system, innervated organs and hemolymph ofC. virginicaand identifies the presence of an octopamine-like receptor in heart, strengthening the contention that octopamine is important in the physiology ofC. virginicaas it is in other invertebrates.
authors.forename: Kerri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pryce
authors.forename: Dahniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: Elsie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lagares
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Myrthil
authors.forename: Fiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bess
authors.forename: Ave
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Welsh
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Catapane