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WormBase Tree Display for WBProcess: WBbiopr:00000010

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Name Class

WBbiopr:00000010Public_nameDefecation
SummaryIn C. elegans the expulsion of intestinal contents occurs every 45-50 seconds. This cycle is characterized by a pattern of muscle contractions under both muscle and neuronal control. The steps of the defecation cycle are a posterior body contraction (pBoc), an anterior body contraction (aBoc), and the final expulsion step (Exp) where the enteric muscles contract, opening the anus and allowing the intestinal contents to be released. Each step is independently controlled as mutations exist that affect one step but do not alter the timing or occurrence of the other. Further, Ca++ oscillations in the intestine, rather than neuronal stimulation, have been shown to control the initiating pBoc step. The contractions of the enteric muscles are controlled by GABA motor neurons AVL and DVB through an excitatory GABA-gated cation channel. The periodicity of the cycle is influenced by the presence of food, is temperature compensated, and can be reset by mechanosensory input.
Related_topicSpecialisation_ofWBbiopr:00000043
WBbiopr:00000040
Involved_entityGene (24)
InteractionWBInteraction000050597
WBInteraction000050598
WBInteraction000052169
WBInteraction000052170
WBInteraction000576759
WBInteraction000576760
WBInteraction000576761
WBInteraction000576762
WBInteraction000576763
WBInteraction000576764
WBInteraction000576765
WBInteraction000576767
Anatomy_term (11)
Associated_withPhenotype (27)
GO_term (2)
ReferenceWBPaper00001256
WBPaper00001759
WBPaper00001937
WBPaper00002272
WBPaper00006173
WBPaper00024671
WBPaper00026831
WBPaper00031264