Lateral Giant
From NeuronBankWiki
The Lateral Giant interneurons (LG) are found in crayfish and many other decapod crustaceans. The name Lateral Giant is also used in reference to large axons in annelids.
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Identification
The lateral giants are located in the dorsal lateral region of the ventral nerve cord. They are easily recognizable by their large profile in cross section.
Anatomy
The lateral giants are a segmental chain of neurons that are joined by gap junctions, so they function much like a single pair of neurons. Each lateral giant consists of a giant axon, an ipsilateral dendrite, and a contralateral soma (Remler et al. 1968). They make synaptic connections with fast flexor motor giant neurons in the first three anterior segments of the abdomen, but not the posterior three (Wine 1984).
Physiology
Lateral giant neurons are responsible for escape responses (Wine 1984).
References
Remler MP, Selverston AI, Kennedy D. 1968. Lateral giant fibers of crayfish: location of somata by dye injection. Science 162(3850): 281-283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.162.3850.281
Wine JJ. 1984. The structural basis of an innate behavioural pattern. The Journal of Experimental Biology 112: 283-319.
