DNA endoreplication in the brain neurons during body growth of an adult slug.

ABSTRACT: Endoreplication is DNA synthesis without cell division. Giant neurons observed in the brains of mollusks are thought to be generated as a result of DNA endoreplication. It has been hypothesized that neuronal size becomes larger in parallel with an increase in body size and that DNA endoreplication is involved in this process to meet the increasing demand for macromolecules in neurons. There is, however, no experimental evidence for this hypothesis to date. In the present study, we investigated the following quantitatively: (1) the size of the brain and each ganglion, (2) the size of identified neurons, (3) the total number of neurons undergoing DNA endoreplication, (4) the total number of the neurons containing a cardioexcitatory peptide, and (5) the gene expression level per neuron, using

SUBMITTER: Yamagishi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6622835 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature