IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF GLWAMIDES IN CNIDARIA

GLWamides are a recently described, novel family of neuropeptides in C nidaria. Antibodies specific for the GLWamide terminus have been raise d and used to evaluate the occurrence and localisation of immunopositi ve material in various Cnidaria in order to determine whether GLWamide s are present and to obtain a first impression of the possible regulat ory role of these neuropeptides. GLWamide immunoreactivity has been fo und in all species tested and is not confined to distinct life stages but is present during most of the life cycle of the Cnidaria. Addition ally, GLWamides are expressed by different nerve cells at different li fe stages. GLWamide-immunoreactive cells constitute a subset of the ne ural equipment. Overall our data suggest that GLWamides generally occu r in the nervous system of Cnidaria and that these peptides are multif unctional. Putative functions other than the control of development in clude the regulation of nematocyst discharge, muscle contraction and t he regulation of gastric function.