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The majority of research on B. glabrata has focused on its interaction with Schistosoma mansoni and its immune system. However, comparatively few studies have paid attention to its neurobiology, and of these nearly all have been on adults. B. glabrata produce egg masses that contain multiple eggs, each in an individual egg chamber. Embryonic development lasts 7-8 days following which the snails hatch from the egg mass. We studied the development of the nervous system in embryos by tagging certain neurotransmitters. Our results demonstrate that at ~ 3 days post-laying, elements of a nervous system are present. The nervous system continues to develop until hatching, at which time a relatively complex system that expresses the neurotransmitters FMRFamide and serotonin is present. Based on preliminary RNAseq data, we hypothesize that other neurotransmitters are present.

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