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Novel Insights into the Echinoderm Nervous System from Histaminergic and FMRFaminergic-Like Cells in the Sea Cucumber Leptosynapta clarki

Overview of attention for article published in PLOS ONE, September 2012
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Title
Novel Insights into the Echinoderm Nervous System from Histaminergic and FMRFaminergic-Like Cells in the Sea Cucumber Leptosynapta clarki
Published in
PLOS ONE, September 2012
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0044220
Pubmed ID
Authors

Luke A. Hoekstra, Leonid L. Moroz, Andreas Heyland

Abstract

Understanding of the echinoderm nervous system is limited due to its distinct organization in comparison to other animal phyla and by the difficulty in accessing it. The transparent and accessible, apodid sea cucumber Leptosynapta clarki provides novel opportunities for detailed characterization of echinoderm neural systems. The present study used immunohistochemistry against FMRFamide and histamine to describe the neural organization in juvenile and adult sea cucumbers. Histaminergic- and FMRFaminergic-like immunoreactivity is reported in several distinct cell types throughout the body of L. clarki. FMRFamide-like immunoreactive cell bodies were found in the buccal tentacles, esophageal region and in proximity to the radial nerve cords. Sensory-like cells in the tentacles send processes toward the circumoral nerve ring, while unipolar and bipolar cells close to the radial nerve cords display extensive processes in close association with muscle and other cells of the body wall. Histamine-like immunoreactivity was identified in neuronal somatas located in the buccal tentacles, circumoral nerve ring and in papillae distributed across the body. The tentacular cells send processes into the nerve ring, while the processes of cells in the body wall papillae extend to the surface epithelium and radial nerve cords. Pharmacological application of histamine produced a strong coordinated, peristaltic response of the body wall suggesting the role of histamine in the feeding behavior. Our immunohistochemical data provide evidence for extensive connections between the hyponeural and ectoneural nervous system in the sea cucumber, challenging previously held views on a clear functional separation of the sub-components of the nervous system. Furthermore, our data indicate a potential function of histamine in coordinated, peristaltic movements; consistent with feeding patterns in this species. This study on L. clarki illustrates how using a broader range of neurotransmitter systems can provide better insight into the anatomy, function and evolution of echinoderm nervous sytems.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 53 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
United Kingdom 4 8%
United States 1 2%
Canada 1 2%
Unknown 47 89%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 11 21%
Researcher 9 17%
Student > Ph. D. Student 9 17%
Student > Bachelor 6 11%
Student > Doctoral Student 2 4%
Other 4 8%
Unknown 12 23%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 19 36%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 11 21%
Neuroscience 5 9%
Psychology 2 4%
Environmental Science 1 2%
Other 4 8%
Unknown 11 21%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 09 September 2012.
All research outputs
#20,972,772
of 25,759,158 outputs
Outputs from PLOS ONE
#184,549
of 224,475 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#147,315
of 187,686 outputs
Outputs of similar age from PLOS ONE
#3,475
of 4,371 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,759,158 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 10th percentile – i.e., 10% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 224,475 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 15.8. This one is in the 9th percentile – i.e., 9% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 4,371 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 8th percentile – i.e., 8% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.