Serotoninergic innervation of the alimentary canal of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata: structural and functional aspects

Immunohistochemical studies showed that the alimentary canal of Leptinotarsa decemlineata receives serotoninergic innervation from different neurons in the central and stomatogastric nervous system. The foregut is innervated by the frontal ganglion. Four of the 6-8 large neurons present in this ganglion have axons which run to the musculature of the oesophagus, crop, sphincter, and frontal area of the midgut. They are accompanied by axons from neurons in the suboesophageal ganglion, and by axons from as yet unidentified non-immunoreactive neurons in thebrain and/or the ventral nerve cord. The posterior part of the midgut is essentially devoid of serotoninergic innervation. The hindgut is innervated by two large neurons in the caudal tip of the last abdominal ganglion. The axons always run to the circular and longitudinal muscles of the crop, the circular muscles of the sphincter, and the longitudinal muscles of the hindgut. Immunohistochemical electron microscopy suggests that exocytosis of the immuno-labelled vesicles may occur at some distance from the muscle fibres, implying a neurohormonal release of this neurochemical. A bioassay used to demonstrate the type of effect of serotonin on isolated hindguts in vitro, indicated a clear inhibitory effect on spontaneous contractions at concentrations of 10^-8-10^-5 M. This effect was dose-dependent. Axons found in association with the cryptonephridial system on the hindgut might be involved in the control of diuresis although we have not tested this possibility experimentally.