Nitric Oxide Synthase In The Distribution Of Intended Expression Of The Black Spiny Ant Brain

Polyrhachis vicina Roger,is a species of typical eusocial insects,which belongs to the genus Polyrhachis(Hymenoptera:Formicidae).P.vicina possess highly complex nervous system and castes differentiation.The nitric oxide(NO),a stable free radical gas,is an important signaling and effecter molecule that acts in many tissues to regulate a diverse range of physiological and cellular processes such as taking part in the olfaction,visual,mechanical feelings,development,the body defense and learning behavior.Nitric oxide syntheses(NOS) generate NO by catalyzing L-arginine, utilizing NADPH and O₂ as cosubstrates.Now it has been proven that NOS and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced diaphoresis(NADPH-d) are the same material.Thus established NADPH-d enzyme histochemical method is used for the localization of nitric oxide synthase.In this thesis,the distribution of the nitric oxide synthase in the brains of different castes of P. vicina including the females,males and workers are inverstigated by using enzyme histochemical method of NADPH diaphorase staining.The result indicates that there are a widely positive reaction of nitric oxide syntheses(NOS) in the brain regions and different localization in the different caste ants.A weaker positive reaction for NOS in the calyces andα-lobes of mushroom bodies is less than the other brain regions,and strong positive expression of NOS appears in the optic lobes,the central complex and olfactory lobules of the males.Distribution of NOS of the females in the brain regions is similar to the males,and the positive expression of NOS inβ-lobes stronger than the calyces of the mushroom bodies.The NOS positive reaction of the workers in the brain regions is weakest in three different castes.In the central complex and olfactory lobules regions of the workers show that the positive reaction is stronger than the optic lobes.According to the above result,we speculate that the expression differences of NOS in three different castes of P.vicina may be related to their morphological differences and the castes differentiation.After flying to mate,the males and females live in the dark of nest,and the workers have to work service for the nest members.Usually the workers depend on the sense of smell and touch, and the males and female relay their vision.So NADPH-diaphorase staining is significantly more intense in the Olfactory lobes and the central complex than the optic lobes in the workers,and NOS strong positive reaction appears in the optic lobes of the males and females.In this paper,we firstly study the expression of NOS in the brains of different castes of P. vicina,making a comparison in the differences of brain regions and three castes ants and discussing the relation of NO signal system with the social behavior in three different castes of P. vicina.The results may provide the theoretical basis and the basic data for further investigation in the neurophysiology function of NO.