Localization and identification ofneuropeptides in antennal lobe neurons of thesphinx moth Manduca sexta

Indispensable prerequisites to understanding the functional role of neuropeptides during CNS ontogeny are (1) their identity (neuropeptidome), (2) their temporal and (3) spatial occurrence. Based on these findings, expression patterns of identified neuropeptides can be correlated with defined events during development. Corresponding experiments shed light on the function and regulation of these molecules. In the present work, the appearance of neuropeptides during development was studied in the antennal lobes (ALs) of the sphinx moth Manduca sexta. The following results were obtained: (1) Using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, ion signal profiles of lateral cell groups from the ALs were recorded during development. These profiles revealed the presence of twelve chemically identified neuropeptides, as well as the patterns of their temporal occurrence (UTZ et al. 2007a). (2) Immunocytochemical staining was used to detect peptides of the A-type allatostatin family (AST-A) and Manduca sexta allatotropin (Mas-AT) in cells of the developing AL and allowed a detailed analysis of their cellular localization and temporal appearance (UTZ and SCHACHTNER 2005; UTZ et al. 2007b). (3) Manipulation of the hemolymph titer of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) showed that peptide expression in the different neuron types of the AL is controlled by levels of 20E during development (UTZ and SCHACHTNER 2005; UTZ et al. 2007b)