Evidence that hemolymph glucose in Aplysia californica is regulated but does not affect feeding behavior.

Hemolymph glucose increased following a meal of a commercially available dried seaweed (laver) in Aplysia californica (Aplysia). Glucose injected into the hemocoel did not affect meal size, bite latencies, swallowing rate, or 24-hr food intake. The authors found that injection of a homogenate of nerves containing a putative Aplysia insulin-like substance decreased hemolymph glucose. The nerve homogenate, however, did not affect feeding behavior. Injection of 2-deoxy-D-glucose was found to increase hemolymph glucose, an indication of gluco-privation, but instead of increasing feeding it either had no effect or, at high doses, debilitated animals and interfered with feeding. These studies suggest that glucose may be physiologically regulated in Aplysia, but it does not appear to play a role in the control of feeding behavior.