It was shown that local application of agonists of the 3rd type receptors 5-HTQ and quipazine into the interblastomere cleft
of
Paracentrotus lividus embryos evoked specific membrane currents. At the same time, ligands of 5-HT
3-receptors specifically affected the cleavage patterns of half-embryos, i.e., imitated or avoided the interblastomere signal.
In the view of the data obtained, we discuss a more precise concept of protosynapse, where the distribution of membrane serotonin
receptors is restricted to the period of blastomere formation during cleavage and localized in the area of interblastomere
contact.
Key words serotonin - receptors - cell interactions - cleavage-division - sea urchins
Original Russian Text © Yu.B. Shmukler, E. Tosti, F. Silvestre, 2007, published in Ontogenez, 2007, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 254–261.