Dopamine beta hydroxylase and p73 expression in the Compound Eyes of the Branchipus schaefferi and Artemia parthenogenetica
- Emilia M. Carmona-Calero 1
- Agustín Castañeyra-Ruiz 2
- Ibrahim González-Marrero 1
- Agustín Castañeyra-Perdomo 2
- Juan M. González-Toledo 1
- Leandro Castañeyra-Ruiz 1
- 1 Departamento de Anatomía. Universidad de La Laguna (España)
- 2 Departamento de Biotecnología. Instituto de Investigación y Ciencias. Fuerteventura (España)
ISSN: 1697-5529
Year of publication: 2016
Issue: 12
Pages: 6-11
Type: Article
More publications in: Majorensis: Revista Electrónica de Ciencia y Tecnología
Abstract
The anostraca Branchipus schaefferi belongs to the most endangered crustacean species in Europe. The Branchipus schaefferi inhabits small, temporary ponds with turbid water; the periods of desiccation are inundated with quiescent eggs. The Artemia parthenogenetica lives in coastal salt water or hypersaline water. Anostraca are equipped with an unpaired, median light sensitive organ, a nauplius eye and a pair of facetted lateral eyes (compound eyes). Dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH) has been described in different ocular tissues. Protein p73 is a complex protein with a variety of isoforms and an equilibrium between p73 isoforms is necessary for the survival and maintenance of sympathetic neurons. Anti-p73 and anti-DBH were used at the level of the compound eyes and optic ganglia of two anostraca and immunohistochemistry and western blot were used. DBH was expressed in retinal cells of the eyes of both anostraca, and p73 was present in retinal cells of the Artemia but at the crystalline and corneal level of the Branchipus compound eyes. This dissimilar localisation of p73 could mean a different role of p73 in the eyes of the two anostraca specimens.