Lifelong neurogenesis in the cerebral ganglion of the Chinese mud snail,Cipangopaludina chinensis

Abstract

IntroductionA small group of Gastropods possessing giant neurons have long been used to study a wide variety of fundamental neurophysiological phenomena. However, the majority of gastropods do not have large neurons but instead have large numbers of small neurons and remain largely unstudied. We explored neuron size and rate of increase in neuron numbers in the Chinese mud snail, Cipangopaludina chinensis.MethodsUsing histological sections and whole mounts of the cerebral ganglia, we collected cross‐sectional data on neuron number and size across the lifespan of this animal. Neurogenesis was verified using Click‐it EdU staining.ResultsWe found that total neuron number in the cerebral ganglia increases throughout the lifespan of this species at a constant rate. New neurons arise primarily near the nerve roots. Females live longer (up to 7 years) than males (up to 5 years) and thus achieve larger numbers of neurons in the cerebral ganglion. Neuron size is consistently small (<10 μm) in the cerebral ganglia at all ages, however, cells in the posterior section of the cerebral ganglia are modestly but significantly larger than cells at the anterior.ConclusionsThese features suggest that C. chinensis and similar species of Caenogastropoda are good candidates for studying gastropod neurogenesis, senescence, and sex differences in the nervous system.

Magnitude Assessment of Adult Neurogenesis in the Octopus vulgaris Brain Using a Flow Cytometry-Based Technique

“…Studies on adult neurogenesis in invertebrates are few in comparison to those in vertebrates ( Lindsey and Tropepe, 2006 ). The process has been investigated only in few taxa, such as cnidarians ( Galliot et al, 2009 ; Galliot and Quiquand, 2011 ), ecdysozoans ( Cayre et al, 2002 ; Dufour and Gadenne, 2006 ; Schmidt and Derby, 2011 ; Fernández-Hernández et al, 2013 ; Benton et al, 2014 ), and recently in the lophotrochozoan mollusc: Octopus vulgaris among cephalopods ( Bertapelle et al, 2017 ), and Cipangopaludina chinensis among gastropods ( Swart et al, 2017 ). In cnidarians, which lack a centralized brain, proliferation, migration and differentiation occur: the interstitial stem cells of body column proliferate, providing progenitors for neurons that migrate to the dense nerve nets located in apical and basal regions, as described in Hydra polyps ( Galliot and Quiquand, 2011 ).…”

Cellular‐resolution gene expression mapping reveals organization in the head ganglia of the gastropod, Berghia stephanieae

“…It is not yet clear whether there are neuroblasts in the brain itself—neurogenesis zones in other gastropods are thought to be in the body wall epithelium, with postmitotic neurons migrating into the CRG from the periphery (Jacob, 1984). Neurons are also added to adult gastropod brains throughout their lives (Moffet, 1995; Swart et al., 2017); the expression of these early development genes may be associated with adult neurogenesis as well.…”

A review of the non-indigenous Chinese mystery snail, Cipangopaludina chinensis (Viviparidae), in North America, with emphasis on occurrence in Canada and the potential impact on indigenous aquatic species

“…Additionally, C. chinensis has been used as a model organism in neurophysiological, hepatological, and reproductive studies testing pharmaceutical products and supplements (Swart et al 2017;Wang et al 2014;. Finally, waste shells have been recycled to extract calcium which can be used for promoting bone growth (Zhou et al 2016).…”