EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
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5/24/2018  |   9:00 AM - 9:15 AM   |  DESCRIPTION OF THE Chironomus sp. (Diptera, Chironomidae) NEUROMUSCULAR SYSTEM: A TOOL FOR FUTURE FRESHWATER ECOTOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS IN PUERTO RICO   |  410 B

DESCRIPTION OF THE Chironomus sp. (Diptera, Chironomidae) NEUROMUSCULAR SYSTEM: A TOOL FOR FUTURE FRESHWATER ECOTOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS IN PUERTO RICO

Ecotoxicological studies have used the Drosophila melanogaster neuromuscular junction (NMJ) as a biomarker. Unfortunately, this model is ineffective to evaluate toxicity in freshwater ecosystems. Water and sediment toxicities have been evaluated with organisms from the Chironomidae family, but their NMJ anatomy, due to lack of information, has not been used as a biomarker for ecotoxicological assays. The aim of this study is to describe the NMJ anatomy of a Puerto Rican Chironomus sp. and establish it as a reference for future use in freshwater ecotoxicological evaluations in the island. To achieve this, we dissected laboratory reared larvae and immunolabelled them for a series of NMJ molecules. Using confocal microscopy, we then described the nervous and muscular systems of the thoracic and abdominal segments. The central nervous system is composed by a brain and a ventral nerve cord. We observe three types of ganglions in the nerve cord, from which axons connect with ventral muscles. Upon contact of the nerves with the muscle fibers, a series of varicosities (NMJ) is also observed. This description can result in a useful tool for freshwater ecotoxicological assays if the necessary validation studies are pursued.

  • New Methods
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Presenters/Authors

Roberto Reyes-Maldonado (), University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, robertoomaldo@gmail.com;


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Kevin De Leon (), University of Puerto Rico, Institute of Neurobiology, kevindeleonupr@gmail.com;


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Bruno Marie (), University of Puerto Rico, Institute of Neurobiology, brunomariemail@gmail.com;


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Alonso Ramírez (), North Carolina State University, alonso.ramirez@ncsu.edu;


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