Abstract
AbstractAnimals have evolved within the framework of microbes and are constantly exposed to diverse microbiota. Microbes colonize most, if not all, animal epithelia and influence the activity of many organs, including the nervous system. Therefore, any consideration on nervous system development and function in the absence of the recognition of microbes will be incomplete. Here, we review the current knowledge on the nervous systems ofHydraand its role in the host–microbiome communication. We show that recent advances in molecular and imaging methods are allowing a comprehensive understanding of the capacity of such a seemingly simple nervous system in the context of the metaorganism. We propose that the development, function and evolution of neural circuits must be considered in the context of host–microbe interactions and presentHydraas a strategic model system with great basic and translational relevance for neuroscience.
Highlights
Animals have evolved within the framework of microbes and are constantly exposed to diverse microbiota
Animal evolution appears intimately linked to the presence of microbes
Previous studies on germ-free (GF) animals, i.e., organisms treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics to completely eliminate their microbes or animals born and raised in absolutely axenic conditions, show that specific microbiota can impact central nervous system (CNS) physiology and neurochemistry (Sharon et al, 2016)
Summary
Animals have evolved within the framework of microbes and are constantly exposed to diverse microbiota. In addition to ectodermal and endodermal epithelial cells, Hydra has an anatomically simple nervous system (Figures 1, 2D–G) which consists of approximately 3000 neurons in an adult and 70 neurons in a newly hatched polyp (Klimovich and Bosch, 2018; Martin et al, 1997).
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