Effect of the environmental impact on the gut myenteric neurons of Sphoeroides testudineus (Linneaus, 1758) (Tetraodontidae)

• Grant number: 13/21136-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2013
• End date: November 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Histology
• Principal Investigator: Renata de Britto Mari
• Grantee: Beatriz Vivian D'Angelo Barroso
• Host Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista. São Vicente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The enteric nervous system is a division of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for controlling the gastrointestinal activities independent of central afferents. It is subdivided in plexuses that innervate the tract layers, being the main plexuses the submucosal and myenteric. The first one controls gastrointestinal secretions and blood flow, while the second, located between the longitudinal and circular muscles, controls peristalsis. Fishes belongs to one of the largest vertebrate groups, being the puffer fish Sphoeroides testudineus a member of this group, occurring from the south coast of Brazil to the United States. In last years, much pollutants and contaminants are being released into the sea, changing physiological, behavioral and morphological aspects of marine species. Studies that measure the contaminants effects in nervous cells has focused the central nervous system. Thus, in view of the scarcity of studies that analyze the effect of environmental impact in enteric neurons, the intention of this study is to evaluate the contaminants effects in enteric nervous cells from the intestine of puffer fish Sphoeroides testudineus. For this, will be collected by trawl, 20 specimens of two regions (10 specimens/region): coast of the state ecological station Juréia-Itatins (not impacted) and estuarine system of Santos (impacted). The small intestine will be removed, then retreating 3 intestinal segments that will be fixed and destined to the marking of neurons that express acetylcholine. The neuronal quantification will be performed by the computer program Motic Images Plus® with aid of the Moticam 5® digital camera. The data will be analyzed by the Tukey statistical test. (AU)