Peptidergic signalization: An immunocytochemical study of FMRF-related peptides in the nervous system of planarians

Free-living freshwater flatworms, planarians, are well known biological object. Due to their unprecedented regenerative ability, planarians attract the particular attention of scientists. From a small body piece planarians can regenerate a whole organism including central nervous system and all organs and tissues. Employment of modern immunocytochemical methods in conjunctions with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) made it possible to discover a spectrum of neuronal substances in the nervous system of relatively simple animals. In the present study, specific fluorescently labeled antibodies have been used for identification of FMRF-related neuropeptides in the nervous system of three planarian species: Schmidtea mediterranea, Girardia tigrina, and Polycelis tenuis (Platyhelminthes, Turbellaria). The details of the FMRF-like immunostaining have been described and completed. Some previously published data concerning neuronal signalization in turbellarians have been observed.