The collection contains images of whole-mount preparations of juvenile individuals and larvae at different stages of their development. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The preparations were created using immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements for serotonin, FMRFamide, and tyrosine hydroxylase (dopamine-synthetizing enzyme). The general morphology of the nervous system and internal and external cilia were labeled by antibodies to alpha-tubulin. The muscles were visualized using histochemical phalloidin staining for muscle fibers. The collection contains images of the central nervous system (cerebral ganglia and ventral nerve cords) and peripheral neurons and nerve fibers of the central and peripheral neurons.
The collections includes individuals of two archiannelid species: Dinophilus gyrociliatus and Dinophilus taeniatus. The collection is constantly being expanded by new preparations showing new stages of larval development and the architecture of nervous elements. It is intended for those who want to learn more about the developmental dynamics of nervous elements containing serotonin, dopamine and the peptide FMRFamide, and about the locomotory structures present in achiannelids (transverse ciliary streaks and the ventral ciliary band). The collection was created at the Institute of Developmental Biology RAS. The images are available from the authors.