Application of confocal microscopy and 3D reconstruction in anatomical investigations on Pectinidae (Bivalvia): new perspectives for understanding bivalve mantle margin development

Abstract

The plasticity of the molluscan body plan is remarkable, which makes these animals excellent models for studies aiming at understanding mechanisms underlying body plan diversification and system morphogenesis. In recent years, integrative microscopy techniques have increasingly been applied to developmental investigations. Particularly, specialized micromorphological tools, such as Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy and 3D reconstruction, revealed to be very insightful for anatomical purposes. For bivalves, a large amount of data on development is available, most of them describing the stage sequences and the general larval morphology. However, the bivalve morphogenesis remains scarcely studied, except for the development of hard parts (e.g., hinge, ligament and shell). Particularly, the bivalve pallial margin development remains poorly known, as well as the formation and differentiation of the mantle folds. The complex pallial organs of scallops (Pectinidae), such as their image-forming eyes, make these bivalves very suitable models for developmental studies of the pallial margin. In this context, the present project aims at learning procedures and analyses involved with Confocal Microscopy and 3D reconstruction at the Department of Integrative Zoology, during an internship of the candidate (Jorge Audino) under supervision of Prof. Andreas Wanninger. We expect also to apply these techniques in samples of the scallop Nodipecten nodosus to investigate mantle margin development in this species. Special focus will be given on neuro- and myogenesis, contributing to the understanding of the functional ontogeny of scallop pallial folds, which comprises the main goal of the candidate's M.Sc. project in the University of São Paulo. (AU)