Anita Gopesh
University of Allahabad, India
Title: Paraneuronal gill NE cells in fishes: Probable bio-indicators
Biography
Biography: Anita Gopesh
Abstract
Various kinds of paraneuronal cells have been identified in vertebrate body, outside central nervous system which is known to control various essential functions of the body through neurotransmitters produced by these cells. It is now well established that these cell systems act in an autocrine and/or paracrine mode of action and belong to the diffuse neuroendocrine cell systems as defined by Toni. Pseudobranchial neuro-secretory system in one such system which is very similar to the NECS reported on the gill filaments of certain fishes. The association of pseudobranchial neurosecretory system with the carotid labyrinth-a chemosensory structure derived from pseudobranch, reflects towards a chemosensory role of the systems in the biology of these fishes. Immunohistochemical investigations on carotid labyrinth and pseudobranchial neurosecretory cells have revealed the presence of several bioactive substances (NPY, TH, VIP, NO, Serotonin etc.) in these cells, suggesting multiple functional roles of these cells. The gills of the fish are known to be multi-functional. This novel gill NE system is described in detail and the cells belonging to this system are compared with the NECs observed in the gill filament of fish and glomus cells found in the carotid body of mammals. The functional significance of pseudobranchial neurosecretory cells in the vertebrate phylogeny of oxygen chemosensory complex is also discussed.