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Journal of Experimental Biology 129,279-293 (1987)
Published by Company of Biologists 1987

Neural Control of Heart Beat in the African Giant Snail, Achatina Fulica Férussac : I. Identification of the Heart Regulatory Neurones

FURUKAWA YASUO ¹

¹ Physiological Laboratory, Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan

Seven heart regulatory neurones (PON, TAN, TAN-2, TAN-3, d-RCDN, d-LCDN and VG1) were identified in the central nervous system of the African giant snail, Achatina fulica Férussac. Among these neurones, the periodically oscillating neurone (PON) was the most effective heart excitor, producing heart excitation at rather low firing frequencies. The tonically autoactive neurones (TAN, TAN-2 and TAN-3) were tonically firing neurones and their spontaneous activity was found to produce tonic heart excitation which supplemented the myogenic heart activity. There was some evidence that two cerebral ganglion cells (the dorsal right and left cerebral distinct neurones, d-RCDN and d-LCDN) were also likely to be heart excitors although the direct connection to the heart was somewhat doubtful in some specimens. No direct inhibitory neurone was found, but the high firing frequency of the visceral ganglion neurone (VG1) usually produced heart inhibition.

Key words: identified neurone, molluscan heart, neural regulation

Accepted on January 7, 1987