Distribution of Eisenia tetradecapeptide immunoreactive neurons in the nervous system of earthworms

A detailed mapping of Eisenia-tetradecapeptide-immunoreactive neurons in the central and peripheral nervous system combined with quantitative morphological measurements was performed in Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus terrestris. In Eisenia, most labelled neurons were observed in the ganglia of the ventral cord (20.38% of the total cell number of the ganglion) and 15.67% immunoreactive cells occurred in the brain, while 6% of the neurons could be shown in the subesophageal ganglion. In the case of Lumbricus, most immunoreactive cells were found in the subesophageal ganglion (16.17%) and in the ventral ganglia (12.54%). The brain contained 122 ETP-immunoreactive cells (5.6%). The size of the immunoreactive cells varied between 35-75 microm. A small number of Eisenia-tetradecapeptide immunoreactive fibres were seen to leave the ventral ganglia via segmental nerves, and labelled processes could also be observed in the stomatogastric system and the body wall. Labelled axon branches originating from the segmental nerves formed an immunoreactive plexus both between the circular and longitudinal muscle layer and on the inner surface of the longitudinal muscle layer. This inner plexus was especially rich in the setal sac. Among the superficial epithelial cells the body wall contained a significant number of immunoreactive cells. Only a few Eisenia-tetradecapeptide immunoreactive neurons and fibres occurred in the stomatogastric ganglia. In the enteric plexus the number of immunoreactive neurons and fibres decreased along the cranio-caudal axis of the alimentary tract. Eisenia-tetradecapeptide immunoreactive cells were also present among the epithelial cells in the alimentary canal. Some of these cells resembled sensory neurons in the foregut, while others showed typical secretory cell morphology in the midgut and hindgut.