Report on a symposium on molluscan neurobiology

Camp. Eiochem. Physiol.

Vol. %A, NO. 4,pp. 785-786,1987

03~-9629/87%3.00+0.00

PergamonJournals Ltd

Printedin Great Britain

REPORT

ON A SYMPOSIUM ON MOLLUSCAN NEUROBIOLOGY

“SYMON 1986” HELD AT THE VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT, AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 18-22 AUGUST 1986 R. J. WALKER Department of Neurophysiology, School of Biochemical and Physiologi~I Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO9 3TU (Received 9 October 1986)

A symposium entirely devoted to studies on molluscs and in particular gastropods, was held in the Biology Department of the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam from 18th to the 22nd August 1986. This was the second such symposium to be organized by the department, the first having been held in 1982 on “Molluscan Neuro-Endocrinology” (Lever and Boer, 1983). An interest in the Neurobiology of snails was initiated 30 years ago in the Biology Department at the Vrije Universiteit by Professor J. Lever and involved a study on neurosecretion firstly in Ferissia and then in Lymnuea, the latter being the main animal of choice by the department for subsequent studies. Over this period the group devoted to molluscan studies has steadily expanded and currently the Department of Organismal Biology consists of three main groups, i.e. Neurophysiology/Behavioural Physiology under Professor T. A. de Vlieger, Histology/Electron Microscopy under Professor H. H. Boer and Endocrinology/Molecular Neurobiology under Professor J. Joosse. In addition there is a small group devoted to the breeding of Lymnaeu for which there are very impressive facilities in the department. The symposium was divided into the following topics: Identification of Aminergic and Peptidergic Systems; Biosynthesis, Transport and Release of Neurochemical Messengers; Central and Peripheral Actions of Neurochemical Messengers; Neuronal Integration; Molluscan Neurons in Applied Research; Receptors, Ion Channels and Intracellular Messengers; Gene Coding, Structure, Purification and Evolutionary Aspects of Peptides; Behavioural Physiology; Plasticity, Learning and Aging of the Nervous System; (Neuro)endocrine Control Mechanisms. In addition to the lecture programme arranged under these sections there were 35 poster presentations. There were also two introductory lectures, one by Professor L. Taut, Gif sur Yvette, on “Presynaptic Control of Synaptic Efficacy” and one by Dr R. H. Scheller, Stanford, on “Neuropeptides: Multiple Regulatory Mechanisms and their Roles in Mediating Simple Behaviours”. There were two general lectures, one by Dr N. I. Kononenka, Kiev, who reviewed “Molluscan Neurobiology in the Soviet Union” and one by Dr R. D. Hawkins, New York, entitled “Cellular Studies of Classical Conditioning

in Aplysia”. The Swammerdam lecture was presented by Professor F. Strrumwasser, Boston, who most eloquently reviewed “Circadian and other Longlasting Programs of Neuronal Acitivity in Molluscs and other Invertebrates: Mechanisms and Relevance for Neuropsychiatry”. An important conclusion from the symposium was the widespread occurrence of co-locali~tion of peptides and of peptides with transmitters in molluscan neurons. It is probable that the normal situation for a neuron is to synthesize and probably release more than one substance from its nerve terminals. The point of interest will be the mechanism under which these substances are released and whether they can be released separately and if so under what conditions from the different nerve terminals of a single neuron. There were a number of papers on the control of feeding, the neuronal networks involved and the role of serotonin and peptides in this system. There were several papers concerning the secretions from the caudodorsal cells and the dorsal bodies of Lymnuea and other gastropods and their role in the control of reproduction. Current studies on Aplysia bag cell peptides were also reported. In the session on gene coding very interesting data was presented by the Amsterdam and Galveston groups using molecular genetic techniques regarding gene expression for neuropeptides involved in egg laying in Lymnaea and Aplysia. This is the first time that this type of work has been performed on invertebrate neuropeptides. There was considerable interest in the family of FMRFamide peptides and SCP-B and their prospective roles as central and peripheral modulators and/or neurohormones. From the work presented, the technique of immunocyt~hemical localization of peptides and other material is still of great importance in the localization of peptide-like material in specific neurons although the constraints in terms of the actual identification of the material concerned were emphasized. The structural (chemical) and functional characterization of the peptides is of paramount importance and will form the basis of future research. The roles of secondary messengers including cyclicAMP, calcium and inositol phospholipids in peptide and transmitter function were discussed by several speakers. There were in total about 125 participants at the

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symposium which provided an excellent forum for discussion and debate. From the work reported it is clear that molluscs provide and will continue to provide an excellent source of experimental material for the neurobiologist. The organizers of the symposium are to be congratulate for what I think was a very successful meeting which clearly demonstrated the value of having a small group of scientists gathered to discuss work on a single group of animals. The proceedings of “SYMON 1986” will be pub-

lished in the first part of 1987 by Elsevier NorthHolland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, under the Editorship of Professor H H. Boer, Dr W. P. M. Geraerts and Professor J. Joossl. Title: Neurobiology, Moiluscan

Models.

REFERENCE

Lever J. and Boer H. H. (1983) Molfu.~cur~NeuroEndocrinology, pp. 268. North-Holland, Amsterdam.