Neuropeptides, like the pedal peptide Aplysia californica, were discovered and described in the nervous system of molluscs Tritonia diomedea, Clione limacina, Phestilla sibogae and snails Helix lucorum and Helix aspersa. These peptides are combined into a family of pedal peptides. Some their functions includes the regulation of ciliary epithelium feet, activation of heart rate, and part in spatial orientation. A comparative examination of the structural features of cells synthesizing peptides of this group for a number of shellfish, and the structural features of this family of peptides themselves can advance in the understanding of the functional role of this group of signaling molecules.
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