Electron-cytochemical study of carbohydrate components of the surface membrane of cultured neurons of the edible snail Helix pomatia

Lectin-binding glycoproteins in the developing and adult snail CNS

“…And, finally, among the applied lectins, JAC detects the utmost number of proteins that are only characteristic for certain stages of development. JAClabeled glycoproteins could also be promising for future studies, taking into consideration that its recognizing sequence is a part of sialic acid, which opposite to vertebrates, was rarely and only recently detected in bivalves (Tunkijjanukij et al 1998) and cephalopods (Saito et al 2001), but has not yet been found in gastropods at all (Koval et al 1992).…”

“…Studies performed by lectin conjugates revealed that among carbohydrate moieties of GAGs N-acetyl-glucosamines (GlcNAc) were found as side chains of distinct neurotransmitter receptors (Hendricks et al 1984;Kitamura et al 2005;Shirakawa et al 1983;Walli et al 1994), whereas N-acetyl-galactosamines (GalNAc) were characteristic for the surface of specific populations of neurons (Nakagawa et al 1986(Nakagawa et al , 1987 and occurred abundantly in the ECM of different layers of brain regions in vertebrates (Kawai et al 2001;Salazar et al 2001). Specific lectin probes were also applied successfully to label normal, injured or regenerating neurons, as well as glia elements in adult (Hahnlein et al 1996;Jacobs and Lakes-Harlan 1997) and developing (D'Amico and Jacobs 1995) insects, annelids (FloresAbreu et al 2006), and mollusks (Arvanov et al 1993;Diatlov 1992;Koval et al 1992Koval et al , 1994Lin and Levitan 1987;Ottaviani 1988;Wilson et al 1992). The results from these invertebrate studies can be summarized as lectin ligands are expressed in the ECM and on the surface of specific neurons, including axon membranes of the CNS, and they contribute to neurosecretion, axon growth and determine synaptic types of the developing nervous system.…”