PHOTOSENSITIVE NEURONS IN MOLLUSKS

GORDANA KARTELIJA1, M. NEDELJKOVIĆ1 AND LIDIJA RADENOVIĆ2

1Siniša Stanković Institute for Biological Research, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro; 2 Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Abstract - in addition to regular photoreceptors, some invertebrates possess simple extraocular photoreceptors. For example, the central ganglia of mollusks contain photosensitive neurons. these neurons are located on the dorsal surface of the ganglia and based on their electrophysiological properties, it has been postulated that they are internal photoreceptors. Besides the eye, transduction of light also occurs in these extra-ocular photoreceptors. in the present work, we analyze the reactivity of these nerve cells to light and describe the underlying mechanism mediating the light-induced response.

 

This article has been retracted. Retraction: 10.2298/ABS150317025E