We assayed three amino acid neuromuscular transmitters (1 Molar in artificial seawater) on muscles of the chelicerate arthropod, Limulus polyphemus. Muscle fiber responses in semi-intact first-instar juvenile walking legs were recorded via videomicroscope. Glutamate, the primary excitor of insect and crustacean muscle, and Aspartate, sometimes co-released with Glutamate (lobster), each elicited strong rhythmic muscle contractions, but a 1:1 mixture of the two elicited even stronger contractions. Although inhibitory on insect and crustacean muscles, y-amino butyrate (GABA) was excitatory in Limulus.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Duprey, Christian James.
• Kozma, John Theodore.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 01C012M

Advisor

• Gibson, Daniel G.

Year

• 2001

Date created

• 2001-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright

License

• All rights reserved