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Brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system anatomy | Kenhub Brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system anatomy | Kenhub

Visualisation of the pupal brain in different confocal sections from most anterior ( A) to most posterior ( D) stained with synapsin. ( A) Mushroom body lobes (MB-lb), anterior optic tubercles (AOTu), and antennal lobes (AL). ( B) Central body (CB) and accessory medulla (aMe). ( C) Medulla (Me) and lobula (Lo). ( D) Mushroom body calyx (MB-ca) and protocerebral bridge (PB).A neuron (nerve cell) is the functional unit of the nervous system. They receive and transmit neural impulses. Meaning that, neurons receive, process and integrate information from all regions of the body and send instructions on how body tissues are to respond to environmental and internal events.

Neural representation of goal direction in the monarch

Right from birth, it is the destiny of a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly and its organs know that. A collection of cells called imaginal discs present in even a tiny larva are already configured to develop into adult structures like wings, antennae, genitalia and legs. However, a constant flood of juvenile hormone produced by the caterpillar prevents these cells from developing prematurely. We have seen similar results in human beings who spend their days completing visual and spatial awareness tasks, such as taxi drivers who show an increase in brain size after learning multiple routes around the city. So, the next time you drive to the supermarket or meander towards your favorite café, think about all the ways humans and our insect counterparts may be experiencing brain evolution. Especially as the impacts of climate change and human development reduce food sources for butterflies and humans, it is critical we remember the importance of finding fresh, nutrient-rich food. For a long time, scientists thought that caterpillars were reduced to pudgy mush inside the chrysalis and then rebuilt into butterflies. It was believed that enzymes that break down tissues, like caspases, were released, dissolving the caterpillar’s tissues, especially cells of the muscle and gut that weren’t needed in a butterfly.

Dissection of a pupal brain at 30% pupal development. ( A) The anterior part of the pupa is submerged into 1× PBS. ( B) The thorax cuticle is pushed down and ( C) detached at the suture at the base of the head (along the dashed line) to make a small opening. ( D) The thoracic tissue and cuticle are pulled away horizontally from the head tissue (following the direction of the arrow). ( E) The developing head is visible at the bottom of the pupal cuticle. ( F) Extra pieces of pupal cuticle are removed. ( G) Then, the brain is gently scraped out. ( H) While detached from the pupa cuticle, extra head tissue can be removed from the brain (e.g., cornea, antennae, trachea (seen in a bright white colour)). ( I) The clean brain can be used for downstream analyses. If you or someone you care for has any worrying symptoms that develop after brain tumour treatment, see your doctor.