Getting Nervous: An Evolutionary Overhaul for Communication.
Annu Rev Genet
; 51: 455-476, 2017 11 27.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28934592
ABSTRACT
The evolution of a nervous system as a control system of the body's functions is a key innovation of animals. Its fundamental units are neurons, highly specialized cells dedicated to fast cell-cell communication. Neurons pass signals to other neurons, muscle cells, or gland cells at specialized junctions, the synapses, where transmitters are released from vesicles in a Ca2+-dependent fashion to activate receptors in the membrane of the target cell. Reconstructing the origins of neuronal communication out of a more simple process remains a central challenge in biology. Recent genomic comparisons have revealed that all animals, including the nerveless poriferans and placozoans, share a basic set of genes for neuronal communication. This suggests that the first animal, the Urmetazoan, was already endowed with neurosecretory cells that probably started to connect into neuronal networks soon afterward. Here, we discuss scenarios for this pivotal transition in animal evolution.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cell Communication
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Synaptic Transmission
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Biological Evolution
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Nervous System
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Neurons
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Annu Rev Genet
Year:
2017
Document type:
Article
Publication country:
EEUU
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ESTADOS UNIDOS
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ESTADOS UNIDOS DA AMERICA
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EUA
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UNITED STATES
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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US
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USA