Lucifer
Yellow - Filled Neuron from the Medicinal Leech
(Hirudo medicinalis)
This is an N (nociceptive or "pain") Cell from one of the abdominal
ganglia of the leech. Lucifer Yellow is a fluorescent dye that is
injected into the cell body of the neuron with a glass microelectrode.
The nervous system of the leech is consists of several ganglia or groups
of nerve cells. The ganglia are arranged along in a sort of chain
connected by a pair of nerves (connectives). The head of the animal
is to the right, and its posterior is to the left. Two filled processes
can be seen extending out (towards the top of the page) of the ganglion
to the left side of the animal and to areas of the skin where this sensory
neuron receives its input. Thanks to Kathy French for help with photography,
and of course all of the faculty during the Leech Cycle, especially Ron
Calabrese for the ice cream on wednesdays.
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Copyright 1998. Christopher Michael Kilroy