Atypical Acetylcholine Receptors on the Neurons of the Turkish Snail.

Using electrophysiology, the effect of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) ligands on acetylcholine-induced depolarization in the neurons of Helix lucorum snail was studied. It was found that the α-conotoxin PnIA [R9, L10], a selective antagonist of α7 nAChR, and α-cobratoxin (antagonist of α7 and muscle-type nAChR) suppressed neuronal depolarization. Fluorescence microscopy showed staining of the neurons with fluorescently labeled α-bungarotoxin; this staining was reduced by pretreatment with α-cobratoxin. Induced depolarization was also suppressed by α-conotoxin RgIA, a selective inhibitor of α9 nAChR. In contrast to Lymnaea stagnalis nAChR, which are weakly sensitive to neurotoxin II and α-conotoxin GI, antagonists of muscle-type nAChR, H. lucorum receptors were most effectively inhibited by these antagonists. The results obtained, as well as the previously found sensitivity of the receptors studied in this work to muscarinic receptor ligands, indicate an unusual atypical pharmacological profile of H. lucorum nAChR.

[Spontaneous EPSPs in Command Helix Lucorum Neurons during Geterosynaptic Potentiation].

To develop the presynaptic mechanism of the short-term plasticity of synaptic transmission the influence of the rhythmical orthodromic stimulation of intestinal nerve on the spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) have been analyzed in the command neurons of the defensive behavior of land snail Helix lucorum. It was shown early that the tetanic stimulation induced the short-term potentiation of evoked EPSPs. The rhythmical stimulation did not influence the amplitude of spontaneous EPSPs, but considerably increased their number. Discovered augmentation of the frequency of spontaneous EPSPs makes it possible to assume the participation of presynaptic mechanism in the short-term potentiation of synaptic transmission. The presynaptic mechanism can include reduction in the thresh- old of action potentials (APs) generation in the presynaptic neurons, which will lead to an increase in the fraction of spontaneous active neurons and, correspondingly, it will increase the number of spontaneous presynaptic APs.

Heterosynaptic potentiation of cholinergic excitatory postsynaptic responses of command neurons in the common snail.

Short-term heterosynaptic potentiation of cholinergic excitatory postsynaptic currents and potentials in defensive behavior command neurons was found to be evoked by stimulation of the visceral sac in the common snail. It is suggested that a mechanism increasing the choline resistance of the postsynaptic zones of command neuron membranes is involved in potentiating the excitatory postsynaptic responses to sensory stimulation.

[Heterosynaptic potentiation of cholinergic excitatory postsynaptic responses in the Helix command neurons].

Heterosynaptic potentiation of cholinergic excitatory postsynaptic currents and potentials evoked by electrical stimulation of visceral mass was discovered in command Helix neurons of escape reaction. The results suggest the involvement of mechanism of an increase in cholinosensitvity in postsynaptic membrane zones in potentiation of excitatory postsynaptic responses to sensory stimulation.

Cholinergic sensory inputs to command neurons in edible snail.

We studied cholinergic component of visceral sensory input to defensive behavior command neurons in edible snail. Nicotinic receptor antagonist tubocurarine and muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine reversibly decreased the amplitude of the total excitatory postsynaptic potential induced by electrostimulation of the peripheral region in the mechanosensory receptor field of command neurons on the surface of internal organs. Our results indicate that acetylcholine is involved in sensory signal transduction from the visceral sac to command neurons of snail parietal ganglia. The subsynaptic membrane of visceral synaptic input contains nicotinic and muscarinic receptors.

[Synapses identifiable in the parietal ganglia of the snail Helix lucorum]. / Sinapsy, identifitsiruemye v parietal'nykh gangliiakh vinogradnoi ulitki.

The synaptic plasticity is a background for learning and memory. Identifiable synapses that are the synapses between individually identifiable neurons are a very convenient model for studying plasticity. Synapses between the interoceptive mechanosensory neurons and the command neurons of the withdrawal behavior were identified in the Helix lucorum brain. It was shown that synaptic plasticity estimated by the dynamics of the elementary postsynaptic potentials elicited by single presynaptic spikes differed from the synaptic plasticity estimated by the dynamics of compound synaptic responses of the same neurons to sensory stimulation. Habituation and heterosynaptic facilitation phenomena are discussed in terms of the dynamics of the elementary postsynaptic potentials.

Elementary and compound postsynaptic potentials in the defensive command neurons of Helix lucorum.

The present communication concerns with the analysis of elementary and the compound excitatory postsynaptic potentials (eEPSPs and cEPSPs) recorded by intracellular microelectrode from an identified defensive command neuron of the snail Helix lucorum. The eEPSPs were evoked by single presynaptic action potentials (APs) elicited by cationic current injection into one of the identified sensory neurons synapsing on the respective command neuron. The cEPSPs were elicited by local brief tactile stimuli on the skin or internal organs. It was shown that the cEPSPs amplitudes depend mainly on the number of activated sensory neurons. Compound EPSPs depend also on frequency and the number of APs in the bursts occurring in a single neuron. Presynaptic APs having frequency 2-10 Hz evoke high frequency depression of that eEPSPs after an interval is followed by post-tetanic potentiation of single eEPSPs. Preceding stimulation of a pneumostom area facilitates the cEPSPs elicited by repeated stimulation of viscera. The eEPSPs from the same visceral area demonstrate no heterosynaptic facilitation in experiments with double parallel intracellular recording from responsive sensory and command neurons. The different types of the eEPSPs plasticity are discussed according to their contribution cEPSPs plastic changes.

Nervous system and neural maps in gastropod Helix lucorum L.

The present review summarizes the literature and provides new data concerning nervous system structure and the identification of individual neurons in the snail Helix lucorum. Information about especially well-known neurons is provided in a table, and maps of the identifiable neuron's location in ganglia are correlated with the results of retrograde staining via various cerebral and subesophageal nerves. References concerning the morphology of snail central nervous system and identifiable neurons are given.

Mono- and polysynaptic connections between identified neurons in the system of the passive avoidance reflex of the snail.

The structure of the synaptic connections between identified sensory and giant command neurons of the parietal ganglia of the snail is examined. It is shown that the excitatory postsynaptic potential arising in the giant neuron in response to the generation of a single action potential in the presynaptic neuron consists of several monosynaptic components and may include polysynaptic components. It is hypothesized that monosynaptic components of the elementary excitatory postsynaptic potential that differ in the duration of the latent period and the dynamics of habituation may be associated with the activation of synaptic buttons on axon terminals of varying length.

[The nervous system and the mapping of the neurons in the gastropod Helix lucorum L]. / Nervnaia sistema i kartirovanie neironov briukhonogogo molliuska Helix lucorum L.

Summarized literature and experimental author's data are presented concerning the structure of the nervous system and identification of individual neurons in the snail Helix lucorum. Information about especially well-known neurons is given in a table, maps of the ganglia are presented altogether with the results of retrograde staining of different cerebral and suboesophageal nerves. Are given the references concerning morphology of the central nervous system of the snail and identifiable neurons.

[The mono- and polysynaptic connections between identified neurons in the system of the passive defensive reflex in the edible snail]. / Mono- i polisinapticheskie sviazi mezhdu identifitsirovannymi neironami v sisteme passivno-oboronitel'nogo refleksa vinogradnoi ulitki.

A structure of synaptic connections between the identified sensory and giant command neurons of Helix lucorum was studied. It was found that EPSPs arising in the giant neuron as responses to single action potentials generation in sensory neuron consist of several monosynaptic and several polysynaptic components having different magnitude, latencies, and plasticity. The latencies of monosynaptic components are determined by different presynaptic terminals' lengths.

Monosynaptic connection: identifiable synapses in the CNS of the edible snail.

The microanatomy of the pre- and postsynaptic neurons and the structure of the monosynaptic connection LPa7-LPa3 are described on the basis of planar reconstruction of sections of preparations of the CNS of the edible snail with neurons marked by heavy metal salts. Some physiological features of the presynaptic neuron and the monosynaptic connection were studied. The criteria for the identification of the LPa7 neuron according to its position in the ganglion, to the physiological reaction of LPa3, and to its microanatomy were determined. The position in the ganglion of three other neurons which form monosynaptic connections with LPa3 is described. The plasticity of the LPa7-LPa3 connection is demonstrated. The possibility of the realization of plasticity through the cutting off of individual synapses composing the connection is hypothesized. The results of 65 experiments on the identification of LPa7, the physiological characteristics of this cell, and its monosynaptic connection with LPa3, are summarized in this study. One preparation with a monosynaptic connection is reconstructed.

[The monosynaptic connection: identified synapses in the CNS of the edible snail]. / Monosinapticheskaia sviaz': identifitsiruemye sinapsy v TsNS vinogradnoi ulitki.

By electrophysiological and microanatomical methods of analysis of snail CNS small neurones it was shown that a number of neurones form a monosynaptic connection (MSC) with the gigantic polyfunctional neurone LPa3. By using cobalt and nickel staining, the structure of MSC cells LPa7--LPa3 was studied. Six identified synapses in two LPa3 processes zones were found. Physiological analysis showed that the revealed MSC was plastic. The described MSC with identified synapses is convenient for studying synaptic transmission mechanisms.

[Double action potentials in the command neurons of Helix pomatia in response to the action of cobalt ions]. / Dvoinye potentsialy deistviia v komandnykh neironakh vinogradnoi ulitki v usloviiakh deistviia ionov kobal'ta.

Cobalt chloride (20 mmol/l) in physiological solution results in generation of doublets of spikes in Helix pomatia command neurons in response to intracellularly injected depolarizing current. The extraspikes arise in arborizations of neuron and are determined by influx sodium ions. It is supposed that facilitation of extraspikes in apparently due to long-lasting blockade of calcium-dependent potassium current by Co2+ ions.