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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)
Interaction (12)
Anatomy_term (11)
Associated_withPhenotypeWBPhenotype:0000156
WBPhenotype:0000157
WBPhenotype:0000204
WBPhenotype:0000205
WBPhenotype:0000207
WBPhenotype:0000208
WBPhenotype:0000209
WBPhenotype:0000210
WBPhenotype:0000211
WBPhenotype:0000246
WBPhenotype:0000380
WBPhenotype:0000391
WBPhenotype:0000410
WBPhenotype:0000525
WBPhenotype:0000564
WBPhenotype:0000650
WBPhenotype:0000651
WBPhenotype:0000993
WBPhenotype:0000994
WBPhenotype:0000996
WBPhenotype:0001091
WBPhenotype:0001092
WBPhenotype:0001201
WBPhenotype:0001476
WBPhenotype:0001641
WBPhenotype:0001791
WBPhenotype:0001793
GO_term (2)
ReferenceWBPaper00001256
WBPaper00001759
WBPaper00001937
WBPaper00002272
WBPaper00006173
WBPaper00024671
WBPaper00026831
WBPaper00031264