Photosensitive neurons in mollusks

Abstract

In addition to regular photoreceptors, some invertebrates possess simple extra ocular photoreceptors. For ex­ample, the central ganglia of mollusks contain photosensitive neurons. These neurons are located on the dorsal surface of the ganglia and based on their electrophysiological properties it has been postulated that they are internal photoreceptors. Besides the eye, transduction of light also occurs in these extra-ocular photoreceptors. In the present work, we analyze the reactivity of these nerve cells to light and describe the underlying mechanism mediating the light-induced response.

Keywords

• Aplysia
• 8-Br-cGMP
• Ca2+ channel
• cGMP
• Helix pomatia
• iBMX
• identified neurons
• phosphodiesterase inhibitor
• photosensitive neurons
• second messenger