The first member of the RF-amide peptide superfamily to be characterized, in 1977, was the cardioexcitatory peptide, FMRFamide, isolated from the ganglia of the clamMacrocallista nimbosa (1). Since then, a large number of such peptides, designated after their C-terminal arginine (R) and amidated phenylalanine (F) residues, have been identified in representative species of all major phyla. The d...

The pronghorn spiny lobster Panulirus penicillatus is a highly valuable species which is widely distributed in Indo-West Pacific and Eastern Pacific regions. Mitochondrial DNA control region sequences (566-571 bp) were determined to investigate the population genetic structure of this species in the Indian Ocean. In total, 236 adult individuals of Panulirus penicillatus were collected from five...

Until 2000 it was believed that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) was the sole regulator of hypophyseal gonadotropes. In 2000, the discovery of a gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) initiated a revolution in the field of reproductive physiology. Identification of GnIH homologues in mammals, the arginine-phenylalanine- amide (RFamide)-related peptides (RFRPs), indicated a similar function...

Behavioural coordination in sea anemones involves both excitation and inhibition. Examples include reciprocal inhibition between longitudinal and circular muscles (Batham and Pantin, 1954), inhibitory actions during peristalsis (Ewer, 1960; McFarlane, 1974a), joint excitatory and inhibitory innervation of sphincter muscle (Lawn, 1976) and inhibition of neural pacemakers (McFarlane, 19746). We r...

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), a newly discovered hypothalamic RFamide peptide, inhibits reproductive activity by decreasing gonadotropin synthesis and release in birds. The gene of the mammalian RFamide-related peptides (RFRP) is orthologous to the GnIH gene. This Rfrp gene gives rise to the two biologically active peptides RFRP-1 (NPSF) and RFRP-3 (NPVF), and i.c.v. injections of RFR...

RFamide-related peptide-3 (RFRP-3) and neuropeptide FF (NPFF) target two different receptor subtypes called FF1 (NPFF1R) FF2 (NPFF2R) that modulate several functions. However, the study of their respective role is severely limited by absence selective blockers. We describe here design a highly NPFF1R antagonist RF3286, which potently blocks RFRP-3-induced hyperalgesia in mice luteinizing hormon...

The terminal nerve gonadotropin-releasing hormone (TN-GnRH) neurons show spontaneous pacemaker activity whose firing frequency is suggested to regulate the release of GnRH peptides and control motivation for reproductive behaviors. Previous studies of the electrophysiological properties of TN-GnRH neurons reported excitatory modulation of pacemaker activity by auto/paracrine and synaptic modula...