Physiological compensation in unilateral eyestalk ablated crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus

The eyestalks of crustaceans contain neurosecretory cells involved in the regulation of molting. In crayfish, bilateral ablation results in increased molting frequency and weight gain whereas unilateral ablation typically has no effect on molting frequency and weight gain. The effects of unilateral ablation were examined in juvenile Australian freshwater crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus. As observed for other crayfish species, molting frequency and weight gain of unilateral ablated crayfish were not significantly different from control (intact) crayfish. Survival of unilateral ablated crayfish, however, was reduced compared to controls and was likely due to stress associated with the surgical procedure itself. Using radiolabeling techniques, protein synthesis was determined for neural tissues from the remaining eyestalk of ablated crayfish and compared to protein synthesis of neural tissues from eyestalks of control, non-ablated crayfish. Protein synthesis of ablated crayfish neural tissues was significantly higher (ca. 45%) than protein synthesis of control neural tissues. Electrophoretic analysis (SDS-PAGE and autoradiography) further demonstrated that protein synthesis increased linearly for all proteins in the remaining eyestalk of ablated crayfish. Together, these results suggest that a compensatory response occurred in unilateral ablated crayfish allowing normal physiological functions, particularly those involved in regulating growth cycles, to be maintained. J. Exp. Zool. 289:184-189, 2001.