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CO2 chemoreception in the pulmonate snail, Helix aspersa

J S Erlichman¹, J C Leiter

¹Department of Physiology, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Respiration Physiology

|September 1, 1993

Summary

Snails increase pneumostome opening in response to high carbon dioxide (CO2) and low oxygen (O2). Specific neural pathways within the subesophageal ganglia control this ventilatory response to CO2.

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Area of Science:

Zoology
Neurobiology
Respiratory Physiology

Background:

The pneumostome is the respiratory opening in pulmonate snails.
Understanding the neural control of respiration is crucial for invertebrate physiology.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the ventilatory response of the snail pneumostome to varying levels of CO2 and O2.
To identify the neural structures responsible for mediating the pneumostomal response to CO2.

Main Methods:

Studied pneumostomal responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia in intact snails.
Utilized lesion experiments to determine essential neural components for CO2 response.
Applied focal CO2 stimulation to specific neural regions.
Conducted ion substitution experiments to elucidate response mechanisms.

Main Results:

Pneumostomal opening significantly increased under both hypercapnic and hypoxic conditions.
The subesophageal ganglia and an intact anal nerve were identified as necessary and sufficient for the CO2 response.
A specific region within the visceral ganglion of the subesophageal ganglia mediated increased pneumostomal area upon CO2 stimulation.
Responses to hypercapnia were mediated by interneurons, not directly by motor neurons.

Conclusions:

The terrestrial snail *H. aspersa* exhibits a ventilatory response to CO2.
This response is centrally mediated by CO2-sensitive neurons located in a distinct area of the central nervous system.
The findings highlight the role of interneurons in the neural control of snail respiration.

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