Turbellarian taxonomic database

Abstract / Notes

"The planarian Dugesia japonica has two genes encoding myosin heavy chain,
DjMHC-A and B (Kobayashi et al., 1998). We produced antibodies specifically
recognizing each myosin heavy chain protein using their carboxyl terminal
regions expressed in E. coli as antigens. Immunohistochemical analyses of
sections and whole-mount specimens revealed the detailed structure and
distribution of each type of muscle fiber in the planarian. In general, the
MHC-A muscle fibers were distributed beneath the epithelial layers, namely,
they were observable in the pharynx, the mouth, the intestine, the eyes and the
body wall. In the pharynx, only MHC-A muscle fibers were present. In contrast,
the MHC-B muscle fibers were distributed in the mesenchyme as dorso-ventral and
transverse muscles, and in the body wall. The body-wall muscles were composed
of an outer layer of circular MHC-A muscles and inner longitudinal and
intermediate diagonal MHC-B muscle layers. Thus, two types of muscle fibers
were distinguished by their distribution in the planarian."

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