Morphometric in vitro analysis of the control of the activity of the neurosecretory dark green cells in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis (L.)

Abstract

The neurosecretory Dark Green Cells (DGC) in the pleural and parietal ganglia of the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis seem to be involved in osmoregulation. Previous experiments have indicated that changes of the osmolality of the environment induce activity changes of the DGC. Furthermore, it was shown that information on environmental osmolality reaches the DGC via the blood. In the present study right pleural and parietal ganglion complexes were cultured for 3 days in vitro under different osmotic conditions. Quantitative electron microscopy revealed that, compared with the control osmolality (130mOsm/kg H2O), osmolalities of 160 and 190 mOsm/kg H2O caused a reduced synthesis and an increased storage of neurohormone in the DGC. Apparently, the activity of the DGC depended on the osmotic pressure of the medium. It is proposed that in vivo the osmotic pressure of the blood (which is related to the osmolality of the environment) regulates DGC activity.