IFIBYNE   05513
INSTITUTO DE FISIOLOGIA, BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR Y NEUROCIENCIAS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
A putative functional vomeronasal system in anuran tadpoles
Autor/es:
JUNGBLUT, LUCAS DAVID; POZZI, ANDREA GABRIELA; PAZ, DANTE AGUSTíN
Revista:
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
Editorial:
WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Referencias:
Lugar: Londres; Año: 2012 vol. 221 p. 364 - 372
ISSN:
0021-8782
Resumen:
We investigated the occurrence and anatomy of the vomeronasal system (VNS) in tadpoles of 13 different anuran species. All of the species possessed a morphologically fully developed VNS with a highly conserved anatomical organisation. We found that a bean-shaped vomeronasal organ (VNO) developed early in the tadpoles, during the final embryonic stages, and was located in the anteromedial nasal region. Histology revealed the presence of bipolar chemosensory neurons in the VNO that were immunoreactive for the Gáo protein. Tract-tracing experiments demonstrated that chemosensory neurons from the VNO reach specific areas in the brain, where a discernible accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) could be observed. The AOB was located in the ventrolateral side of the anterior telencephalon, somewhat caudal to the main olfactory bulb. Synaptophysin-like immunodetection revealed that synaptic contacts between VNO and AOB are established during early larval stages. Moreover, using lectin staining, we identified glomerular structures in the AOB in most of the species that we examined. According to our findings, a significant maturation in the VNS is achieved in anuran larvae. Recent published evidence strongly suggests that the VNS appeared early in vertebrate evolution and was already present in the aquatic last common ancestor of lungfish and tetrapods. In this context, tadpoles may be a good model in which to investigate the anatomical, biochemical, and functional aspects of the VNS in an aquatic environment.