A new look at the ventral nerve centre of <it>Sagitta</it>: implications for the phylogenetic position of Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous system
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Chaetognatha (arrow worms) are a group of marine carnivores whose phylogenetic relationships are still vigorously debated. Molecular studies have as yet failed to come up with a stable hypothesis on their phylogenetic position. I...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2007-05-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Zoology |
| Online Access: | http://www.frontiersinzoology.com/content/4/1/14 |
| _version_ | 1818790172747104256 |
|---|---|
| author | Müller Carsten HG Harzsch Steffen |
| author_facet | Müller Carsten HG Harzsch Steffen |
| author_sort | Müller Carsten HG |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Chaetognatha (arrow worms) are a group of marine carnivores whose phylogenetic relationships are still vigorously debated. Molecular studies have as yet failed to come up with a stable hypothesis on their phylogenetic position. In a wide range of metazoans, the nervous system has proven to provide a wealth of characters for analysing phylogenetic relationships (neurophylogeny). Therefore, in the present study we explored the structure of the ventral nerve centre ("ventral ganglion") in <it>Sagitta setosa </it>with a set of histochemical and immunohistochemical markers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In specimens that were immunolabeled for acetylated-alpha tubulin the ventral nerve centre appeared to be a condensed continuation of the peripheral intraepidermal nerve plexus. Yet, synapsin immunolocalization showed that the ventral nerve centre is organized into a highly ordered array of ca. 80 serially arranged microcompartments. Immunohistochemistry against RFamide revealed a set of serially arranged individually identifiable neurons in the ventral nerve centre that we charted in detail.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The new information on the structure of the chaetognath nervous system is compared to previous descriptions of the ventral nerve centre which are critically evaluated. Our findings are discussed with regard to the debate on nervous system organisation in the last common bilaterian ancestor and with regard to the phylogenetic affinities of this Chaetognatha. We suggest to place the Chaetognatha within the Protostomia and argue against hypotheses which propose a deuterostome affinity of Chaetognatha or a sister-group relationship to all other Bilateria.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T14:51:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aa2dcf4c17cb42f8a3f348c4bb5b6495 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1742-9994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T14:51:14Z |
| publishDate | 2007-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Zoology |
| spelling | doaj.art-aa2dcf4c17cb42f8a3f348c4bb5b64952022-12-21T21:04:10ZengBMCFrontiers in Zoology1742-99942007-05-01411410.1186/1742-9994-4-14A new look at the ventral nerve centre of <it>Sagitta</it>: implications for the phylogenetic position of Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous systemMüller Carsten HGHarzsch Steffen<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Chaetognatha (arrow worms) are a group of marine carnivores whose phylogenetic relationships are still vigorously debated. Molecular studies have as yet failed to come up with a stable hypothesis on their phylogenetic position. In a wide range of metazoans, the nervous system has proven to provide a wealth of characters for analysing phylogenetic relationships (neurophylogeny). Therefore, in the present study we explored the structure of the ventral nerve centre ("ventral ganglion") in <it>Sagitta setosa </it>with a set of histochemical and immunohistochemical markers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In specimens that were immunolabeled for acetylated-alpha tubulin the ventral nerve centre appeared to be a condensed continuation of the peripheral intraepidermal nerve plexus. Yet, synapsin immunolocalization showed that the ventral nerve centre is organized into a highly ordered array of ca. 80 serially arranged microcompartments. Immunohistochemistry against RFamide revealed a set of serially arranged individually identifiable neurons in the ventral nerve centre that we charted in detail.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The new information on the structure of the chaetognath nervous system is compared to previous descriptions of the ventral nerve centre which are critically evaluated. Our findings are discussed with regard to the debate on nervous system organisation in the last common bilaterian ancestor and with regard to the phylogenetic affinities of this Chaetognatha. We suggest to place the Chaetognatha within the Protostomia and argue against hypotheses which propose a deuterostome affinity of Chaetognatha or a sister-group relationship to all other Bilateria.</p>http://www.frontiersinzoology.com/content/4/1/14 |
| spellingShingle | Müller Carsten HG Harzsch Steffen A new look at the ventral nerve centre of <it>Sagitta</it>: implications for the phylogenetic position of Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous system Frontiers in Zoology |
| title | A new look at the ventral nerve centre of <it>Sagitta</it>: implications for the phylogenetic position of Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous system |
| title_full | A new look at the ventral nerve centre of <it>Sagitta</it>: implications for the phylogenetic position of Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous system |
| title_fullStr | A new look at the ventral nerve centre of <it>Sagitta</it>: implications for the phylogenetic position of Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous system |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new look at the ventral nerve centre of <it>Sagitta</it>: implications for the phylogenetic position of Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous system |
| title_short | A new look at the ventral nerve centre of <it>Sagitta</it>: implications for the phylogenetic position of Chaetognatha (arrow worms) and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous system |
| title_sort | new look at the ventral nerve centre of it sagitta it implications for the phylogenetic position of chaetognatha arrow worms and the evolution of the bilaterian nervous system |
| url | http://www.frontiersinzoology.com/content/4/1/14 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mullercarstenhg anewlookattheventralnervecentreofitsagittaitimplicationsforthephylogeneticpositionofchaetognathaarrowwormsandtheevolutionofthebilateriannervoussystem AT harzschsteffen anewlookattheventralnervecentreofitsagittaitimplicationsforthephylogeneticpositionofchaetognathaarrowwormsandtheevolutionofthebilateriannervoussystem AT mullercarstenhg newlookattheventralnervecentreofitsagittaitimplicationsforthephylogeneticpositionofchaetognathaarrowwormsandtheevolutionofthebilateriannervoussystem AT harzschsteffen newlookattheventralnervecentreofitsagittaitimplicationsforthephylogeneticpositionofchaetognathaarrowwormsandtheevolutionofthebilateriannervoussystem |