The nervous system of the adult ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta): Insights from transgenic animal models.

The nervous system of ascidians is an excellent model system to provide insights into the evolutionary process of the chordate nervous system due to their phylogenetic positions as the sister group of vertebrates. However, the entire nervous system of adult ascidians has yet to be functionally and a...

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Main Authors: Tomohiro Osugi, Yasunori Sasakura, Honoo Satake
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5484526?pdf=render
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author Tomohiro Osugi
Yasunori Sasakura
Honoo Satake
author_facet Tomohiro Osugi
Yasunori Sasakura
Honoo Satake
author_sort Tomohiro Osugi
collection DOAJ
description The nervous system of ascidians is an excellent model system to provide insights into the evolutionary process of the chordate nervous system due to their phylogenetic positions as the sister group of vertebrates. However, the entire nervous system of adult ascidians has yet to be functionally and anatomically investigated. In this study, we have revealed the whole dorsal and siphon nervous system of the transgenic adult ascidian of Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta) in which a Kaede reporter gene is expressed in a pan-neuronal fashion. The fluorescent signal of Kaede revealed the innervation patterns and distribution of neurons in the nervous system of Ciona. Precise microscopic observation demonstrated the clear innervation of the anterior and posterior main nerves to eight and six lobes of the oral and atrial siphons, respectively. Moreover, visceral nerves, previously identified as unpaired nerves, were found to be paired; one nerve was derived from the posterior end of the cerebral ganglion and the other from the right posterior nerve. This study further revealed the full trajectory of the dorsal strand plexus and paired visceral nerves on either side from the cerebral ganglion to the ovary, and precise innervation between the cerebral ganglion and the peripheral organs including the gonoduct, cupular organ, rectum and ovary. The differential innervation patterns of visceral nerves and the dorsal strand plexus indicate that the peripheral organs including the ovary undergo various neural regulations. Collectively, the present anatomical analysis revealed the major innervation of the dorsal and siphon nervous systems of adult Ciona.
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spelling doaj.art-81e1c255a89341bfb8fe28501e14e5d62022-12-21T22:04:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01126e018022710.1371/journal.pone.0180227The nervous system of the adult ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta): Insights from transgenic animal models.Tomohiro OsugiYasunori SasakuraHonoo SatakeThe nervous system of ascidians is an excellent model system to provide insights into the evolutionary process of the chordate nervous system due to their phylogenetic positions as the sister group of vertebrates. However, the entire nervous system of adult ascidians has yet to be functionally and anatomically investigated. In this study, we have revealed the whole dorsal and siphon nervous system of the transgenic adult ascidian of Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta) in which a Kaede reporter gene is expressed in a pan-neuronal fashion. The fluorescent signal of Kaede revealed the innervation patterns and distribution of neurons in the nervous system of Ciona. Precise microscopic observation demonstrated the clear innervation of the anterior and posterior main nerves to eight and six lobes of the oral and atrial siphons, respectively. Moreover, visceral nerves, previously identified as unpaired nerves, were found to be paired; one nerve was derived from the posterior end of the cerebral ganglion and the other from the right posterior nerve. This study further revealed the full trajectory of the dorsal strand plexus and paired visceral nerves on either side from the cerebral ganglion to the ovary, and precise innervation between the cerebral ganglion and the peripheral organs including the gonoduct, cupular organ, rectum and ovary. The differential innervation patterns of visceral nerves and the dorsal strand plexus indicate that the peripheral organs including the ovary undergo various neural regulations. Collectively, the present anatomical analysis revealed the major innervation of the dorsal and siphon nervous systems of adult Ciona.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5484526?pdf=render
spellingShingle Tomohiro Osugi
Yasunori Sasakura
Honoo Satake
The nervous system of the adult ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta): Insights from transgenic animal models.
PLoS ONE
title The nervous system of the adult ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta): Insights from transgenic animal models.
title_full The nervous system of the adult ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta): Insights from transgenic animal models.
title_fullStr The nervous system of the adult ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta): Insights from transgenic animal models.
title_full_unstemmed The nervous system of the adult ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta): Insights from transgenic animal models.
title_short The nervous system of the adult ascidian Ciona intestinalis Type A (Ciona robusta): Insights from transgenic animal models.
title_sort nervous system of the adult ascidian ciona intestinalis type a ciona robusta insights from transgenic animal models
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5484526?pdf=render
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