It was investigated whether up-regulation of the NPY gene by the schistosome Trichobilharzia ocellata in its snail host Lymnaea stagnalis redirects the host's energy flows. We cloned the cDNA encoding Lymnaea NPY (LyNPY), purified and sequenced the peptide, and used synthesized peptide for physiological and morphological studies. Increasing the LyNPY titer in nonparasitized snails (mimicking pa...

Electrically coupled neurons communicate through channel assemblies called gap junctions, which mediate the transfer of current from one cell to another. Electrical synapses ensure spike synchronization and reliable transmission, which influences bursting patterns and firing frequency. The present study concerns an electrically coupled two-neuron network in the gastropod mollusc, Lymnaea stagna...

The Cerebral Giant Cells (CGCs) are a pair of identified modulatory interneurons in the Central Nervous System of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis with an important role in the expression of both unconditioned and conditioned feeding behavior. Following single-trial food-reward classical conditioning, the membrane potential of the CGCs becomes persistently depolarized. This depolarization contr...

The common pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis sacrifices 40-60% of its extracellular fluid (ECF) including solutes to the surrounding environment to fully retract into its shell. Our objectives were to determine recovery time following such ECF loss and characterize mechanisms involved in recovering Na(+), the primary cationic osmolyte in this snail. Pallial fluid was initially collected post-stimula...

Overall 10389 snails were collected from four study areas of Punjab from November 2005 to October2006. The highest prevalence (38%) was found for Indoplanorbis followed by Physa (17%), Bellamaya(10.3%), Gyraulus (10%), Lymnaea (9.2%), Oncomelania (9%) and the lowest was found for Bulinus (6.7%).Only Indoplanorbis snails were found to be positive for Schistosoma bovis cercaria. Correlation betwe...

In vivo and in vitro sublethal exposure of abrin, glycyrrhizin (active component of Abrus precatorius seed and root), sanguinarine, protopine (Argemone mexicana seed) and oleandrin (Nerium indicum leaf) inhibited the acetylcholinesterase, lactic dehydrogenase, acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in the nervous tissue of Lymnaea acuminata. The succinic dehydrogenase activity in the nervous ti...

Cercarial dermatitis (swimmer's itch) is a worldwide, often neglected parasitic skin disease characterized by strong maculopapular skin eruption accompanied by intensive itching. A fisherman suffered from forearm dermatitis. Clinical history associated with the recovery of the avian schistosome; Gigantobilharzia from little green bee-eater (Merops orientalis najdanus) and collected Lymnaea snai...