Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Rhopalia are integrated parts of the central nervous system in box jellyfish

Garm, Anders LU ; Ekström, Peter LU ; Boudes, M. and Nilsson, Dan-E LU (2006) In Cell and Tissue Research 325(2). p.333-343
Abstract
In cubomedusae, the central nervous system (CNS) is found both in the bell (the ring nerve) and in the four eye-bearing sensory structures (the rhopalia). The ring nerve and the rhopalia are connected via the rhopalial stalks and examination of the structure of the rhopalial stalks therefore becomes important when trying to comprehend visual processing. In the present study, the rhopalial stalk of the cubomedusae Tripedalia cystophora has been examined by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electrophysiology. A major part of the ring nerve is shown to continue into the stalk and to contact the rhopalial neuropil directly. Ultrastructural analysis of synapse distribution in the rhopalial stalk has failed to show any... (More)
In cubomedusae, the central nervous system (CNS) is found both in the bell (the ring nerve) and in the four eye-bearing sensory structures (the rhopalia). The ring nerve and the rhopalia are connected via the rhopalial stalks and examination of the structure of the rhopalial stalks therefore becomes important when trying to comprehend visual processing. In the present study, the rhopalial stalk of the cubomedusae Tripedalia cystophora has been examined by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electrophysiology. A major part of the ring nerve is shown to continue into the stalk and to contact the rhopalial neuropil directly. Ultrastructural analysis of synapse distribution in the rhopalial stalk has failed to show any clustering, which indicates that integration of the visual input is probably spread throughout the CNS. Together, the results indicate that cubomedusae have one coherent CNS including the rhopalia. Additionally, a novel gastrodermal nerve has been found in the stalk; this nerve is not involved in visual processing but is likely to be mechanosensory and part of a proprioceptory system. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
CNS, synapse, Tripedalia cystophora, (Cnidaria : Cubozoa), jellyfish, eyes, rhopalia
in
Cell and Tissue Research
volume
325
issue
2
pages
333 - 343
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000239688900013
  • scopus:33745909937
ISSN
1432-0878
DOI
10.1007/s00441-005-0134-8
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6635ada3-3eda-406c-9bd1-2e56ffe777d9 (old id 398497)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:19:23
date last changed
2024-05-08 11:12:58
@article{6635ada3-3eda-406c-9bd1-2e56ffe777d9,
  abstract     = {{In cubomedusae, the central nervous system (CNS) is found both in the bell (the ring nerve) and in the four eye-bearing sensory structures (the rhopalia). The ring nerve and the rhopalia are connected via the rhopalial stalks and examination of the structure of the rhopalial stalks therefore becomes important when trying to comprehend visual processing. In the present study, the rhopalial stalk of the cubomedusae Tripedalia cystophora has been examined by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electrophysiology. A major part of the ring nerve is shown to continue into the stalk and to contact the rhopalial neuropil directly. Ultrastructural analysis of synapse distribution in the rhopalial stalk has failed to show any clustering, which indicates that integration of the visual input is probably spread throughout the CNS. Together, the results indicate that cubomedusae have one coherent CNS including the rhopalia. Additionally, a novel gastrodermal nerve has been found in the stalk; this nerve is not involved in visual processing but is likely to be mechanosensory and part of a proprioceptory system.}},
  author       = {{Garm, Anders and Ekström, Peter and Boudes, M. and Nilsson, Dan-E}},
  issn         = {{1432-0878}},
  keywords     = {{CNS; synapse; Tripedalia cystophora; (Cnidaria : Cubozoa); jellyfish; eyes; rhopalia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{333--343}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Cell and Tissue Research}},
  title        = {{Rhopalia are integrated parts of the central nervous system in box jellyfish}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00441-005-0134-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00441-005-0134-8}},
  volume       = {{325}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}