1. Immunohistochemical colocalization of G protein alpha subunits and 5-HT in the rectal gland of the cartilaginous fishScyliorhinus canicula
- Author
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Eugenia Rita Lauriano, Caterina Faggio, Marialuisa Aragona, Gioele Capillo, Simona Pergolizzi, J. Gangemi, and Michał Kuciel
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Serotonin ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Histology ,G protein ,Salt Gland ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Internal medicine ,Heterotrimeric G protein ,medicine ,Animals ,Receptor ,Instrumentation ,5-HT receptor ,biology ,secretory cell, serotonin, shark ,Colocalization ,Scyliorhinus canicula ,biology.organism_classification ,Immunohistochemistry ,GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits ,Epithelium ,Cell biology ,Medical Laboratory Technology ,030104 developmental biology ,Endocrinology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Sharks ,Anatomy ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] is an important neuromodulator involved in a wide range of physiological functions. The effects of serotonin are mediated by an extended family of receptors coupled to multiple heterotrimeric G-proteins, associated with cellular membrane. G proteins connect receptors to effectors and thus trigger intracellular signaling pathways. These cellular processes several regulate systemic functions such as embryonic development, gonadal development, learning and memory, and organismal homeostasis. Generally, elasmobranch fish dwell a hypersaline environment and utilize a specialized extrarenal salt secreting organ, the rectal gland, to face ionic homeostasis. In this study in addition to the morphological, histochemical and immunohistochemical description of the Scyliorhinus canicula rectal gland, for the first time, the presence of serotonin (5-HT), and distribution of different types of G protein alpha subunits (Gα o, Gα q/11, and Gα s/olf) has been investigated in the rectal gland epithelium by confocal immunofluorescence techniques. Colocalization G proteins and 5-HT in the secretory epithelium of the gland suggests serotonin acts as a hormone and involves G proteins in an autocrine-paracrine control of rectal gland homeostasis.
- Published
- 2017
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