Did you mean: leeches
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Current Opinion in Neurobiology Dec 2016The neurogenic heartbeat of certain invertebrates has long been studied both as a way of understanding how automatic functions are regulated and for how neuronal... (Review)
Review
The neurogenic heartbeat of certain invertebrates has long been studied both as a way of understanding how automatic functions are regulated and for how neuronal networks generate the inherent rhythmic activity that controls and coordinates this vital function. This review focuses on the heartbeat of decapod crustaceans and hirudinid leeches, which remain important experimental systems for the exploration of central pattern generator networks, their properties, network and cellular mechanisms, modulation, and how animal-to-animal variation in neuronal and network properties are managed to produce functional output.
Topics: Animals; Crustacea; Heart Rate; Leeches; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; Periodicity
PubMed: 27589603
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2016.08.004 -
Current Biology : CB Sep 2003
Topics: Animals; Leeches; Neurons; Phylogeny
PubMed: 14521848
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2003.09.011 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Mar 1995
Topics: Animals; Humans; Leeches; Paronychia
PubMed: 7888966
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.310.6979.603c -
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Apr 2001
Topics: Animals; Bloodletting; History, 19th Century; Humans; Leeches; Phlebotomy; Surgery, Plastic
PubMed: 11317630
DOI: 10.1177/014107680109400422 -
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Jan 2002
Topics: Animals; Complementary Therapies; Hemorrhage; Humans; Leeches
PubMed: 11773360
DOI: 10.1177/014107680209500124 -
Scientific Reports Nov 2022The family Glossiphoniidae is a diverse and widespread clade of freshwater leeches, playing a significant role in functioning of aquatic ecosystems. The taxonomy and... (Review)
Review
The family Glossiphoniidae is a diverse and widespread clade of freshwater leeches, playing a significant role in functioning of aquatic ecosystems. The taxonomy and biogeography of leeches from temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions attracted much attention of zoologists, while their taxonomic richness and distribution in the Arctic are poorly understood. Here, we present an overview of the Eurasian Arctic Glossiphoniidae based on the most comprehensive occurrence and DNA sequence datasets sampled to date. This fauna contains 14 species, belonging to five genera and three subfamilies. One genus and five species are new to science and described here. The world's northernmost occurrences of glossiphoniids are situated on the Taymyr Peninsula at 72° N, although further records at higher latitudes are expected. Most Arctic leeches are characterized by broad ranges crossing several climatic zones (e.g., Glossiphonia balcanica and G. nebulosa), although the distribution of two new species may be confined to the high-latitude areas. The Taymyr Peninsula with the nearby Putorana Plateau represents the most species-rich area (totally 9 species), while the European Arctic, Iceland, Kolyma Highland, and Chukotka Peninsula house depleted faunas (2-4 species per subregion). Finally, we show that the high-latitude melanism is a common phenomenon in glossiphoniid leeches.
Topics: Animals; Ecosystem; Leeches; Iceland; Lepidoptera; Melanosis
PubMed: 36450804
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24989-7 -
Turkiye Parazitolojii Dergisi 2011Leeches have been used in the treatment of certain diseases since ancient times. There are a few species of medicinal leeches. However, H. medicinalis and H. verbana are... (Review)
Review
Leeches have been used in the treatment of certain diseases since ancient times. There are a few species of medicinal leeches. However, H. medicinalis and H. verbana are known in Turkey. Currently, Turkey is one of the world's most important leech-exporting countries. Secretion of the salivary glands of medical leeches contains more than 100 bioactive substances. These secretions include vasodilators, bacteriostatic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulants, anti-edematous, which eliminate microcirculatory disorders, restore the damaged vascular permeability of tissues and organs, eliminate hypoxia, reduce blood pressure, increase immune system activity, resolving the cause of pain and improve the bioenergetic status of the organism. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Food and Drug Authority of USA-FDA) have allowed the sale of leeches in this country, the use for plastic surgery, the general purposes and microsurgery in 2004. Turkey is the richest source in terms of the medical leech. Better evaluation of this valuable commodity and more effective use of hirudotherapy in modern medical practice as supportive treatment is very important.
Topics: Animals; Bloodletting; Hirudo medicinalis; Humans; Leeching; Salivary Glands; Turkey
PubMed: 22198928
DOI: 10.5152/tpd.2011.60 -
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine May 2001
Topics: Aged; Animals; Humans; Leeches; Ludwig's Angina; Tooth Extraction
PubMed: 11409380
DOI: 10.1177/014107680109400525 -
Gut Microbes 2012Gastrointestinal microbiomes play important roles in the health and nutrition of animals and humans. The medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, serves as a powerful model for... (Review)
Review
Gastrointestinal microbiomes play important roles in the health and nutrition of animals and humans. The medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, serves as a powerful model for the study of microbial symbioses of the gut, due to its naturally limited microbiome compared with other popular models, the ability to cultivate the most abundant microbes, and genetically manipulate one of them, Aeromonas veronii. This review covers the relevance and application of leeches in modern medicine as well as recent discoveries detailing the nature of the gut microbiome. Additionally, the dual life-style of A. veronii allows one to do direct comparisons between colonization factors for beneficial and pathogenic associations, and relevant findings are detailed with respect to their role within the host and pathogenicity to other animals.
Topics: Aeromonas; Animals; Gastrointestinal Tract; Leeches; Symbiosis
PubMed: 22572874
DOI: 10.4161/gmic.20227 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jul 2023When attacks its prey, the prey bleeds profusely but feels little pain. We and other research teams have identified several anticoagulant molecules in the saliva of ,...
When attacks its prey, the prey bleeds profusely but feels little pain. We and other research teams have identified several anticoagulant molecules in the saliva of , but the substance that produces the paralyzing effect in is not known. In this study, we successfully isolated, purified, and identified a serine protease inhibitor containing an antistasin-like domain from the salivary secretions of . This peptide (named poeciguamerin) significantly inhibited elastase activity and slightly inhibited FXIIa and kallikrein activity, but had no effect on FXa, trypsin, or thrombin activity. Furthermore, poeciguamerin exhibited analgesic activity in the foot-licking and tail-withdrawal mouse models and anticoagulant activity in the FeCl-induced carotid artery thrombosis mouse model. In this study, poeciguamerin was found to be a promising elastase inhibitor with potent analgesic and antithrombotic activity for the inhibition of pain and thrombosis after surgery or in inflammatory conditions.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Leeches; Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; Serpins; Anticoagulants; Thrombosis; Pancreatic Elastase; Analgesics; Pain
PubMed: 37446275
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311097