Meeting Abstract

P2.139  Thursday, Jan. 5  Localization of NOS in the ciliated foot epithelium of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis ZUNGUL-HASTY, LS*; CAIN, SD; Eastern Oregon University zungull@eou.edu

Several neurotransmitters have been shown to regulate the behavior of cilia in various animals. These include acetylcholine, serotonin, and at least three neuropeptides. Although these transmitters also function as cilio-regulatory neurotransmitters in sea slugs, other neurotransmitters must control aspects of ciliary behavior not regulated by identified transmitters (e.g. ciliary arrest). Nitric oxide (NO) is a highly reactive gaseous molecule that is present in most organisms as a neurotransmitter. NO is produced when nitric oxide synthase (NOS) catalyzes the conversion of L-arginine to L-citruline and nitric oxide. NO is freely diffusible and typically acts through activation of guanylate cyclase. To determine if NO might contribute to the control of cilia, we investigated whether the enzyme NOS was present in the ciliated foot epithelium of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. The foot tissue was labeled by both NADPH diaphorase and NOS immunohistochemistry. Initial results suggest the NOS was present in the foot. The role of NO in the control of ciliary behavior will also be investigated.