The puzzle of how complex nervous systems emerged remains unsolved. Comparative
studies of neurodevelopment in cnidarians and bilaterians suggest that this process began …

The origin of nervous systems has traditionally been discussed within two conceptual
frameworks. Input–output models stress the sensory-motor aspects of nervous systems …

Understanding cell type identity in a multicellular organism requires the integration of gene
expression profiles from individual cells with their spatial location in a particular tissue …

Neuropeptides are signaling molecules that commonly act via G protein-coupled receptors
(GPCRs) and are generated in neurons by proneuropeptide (pNP) cleavage. Present in both …

Background Trichoplax adhaerens is the best-known member of the phylum Placozoa, one
of the earliest-diverging metazoan phyla. It is a small disk-shaped animal that glides on …

Background Planktonic ciliated larvae are characteristic for the life cycle of marine
invertebrates. Their most prominent feature is the apical organ harboring sensory cells and …

Trichoplax adhaerens is a flat, millimeter-sized marine animal that adheres to surfaces and
grazes on algae. Trichoplax displays a repertoire of different feeding behaviors despite the …

Trichoplax is a small disk-shaped marine metazoan that adheres to substrates and
locomotes by ciliary gliding. Despite having only six cell types and lacking synapses …

Neuropeptides, representing the largest class of neuromodulators, commonly signal by G-
protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). While the neuropeptide repertoire of several metazoans …

Melatonin, the" hormone of darkness," is a key regulator of vertebrate circadian physiology
and behavior. Despite its ubiquitous presence in Metazoa, the function of melatonin …