Katja Kümmerlen, M.Sc.

Zoological Institute and Museum
Cytology and Evolutionary Biology

Soldmannstr. 23
House 6.1
17489 Greifswald

Phone: +49 (0)3834 420 4066
Fax: +49 (0)3834 420 4067
katja.kuemmerlenuni-greifswaldde

Research interests

My project is part of a collaborative study with the MPI for Chemical Ecology Jena and the University of Cologne to gain insights into the evolution of olfactory core circuits in arthropods as part of the DFG priority program 'Evolutionary Optimisation of Neuronal Processing' (DFG SPP 2205). I am studying the olfactory pathway of the amphipod crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis (Dana, 1853), which is of similar size to many hexapods (1cm). I am describing the morphology of the central olfactory processing areas, especially the olfactory lobe, a neuropil structured in glomeruli.

For this project, I use different neuroanatomical methods, e.g.,  immunohistochemistry, histology, light and confocal laser-scanning microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), as well as 3D reconstruction using AMIRA and CATMAID.

Different neurotransmitters in the olfactory lobe of Parhyale hawaiensis

Allatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the caps of the glomeruli in the olfactory lobe
Diffuse Orcokinin-like immunoreactivity in the olfactory lobe
Diffuse Serotonin-like immunoreactivity in the olfactory lobe with a large serotonergic soma projecting in the olfactory lobe (indicated with an arrow)
Diffuse Histamine-like immunoreactivity in the olfactory lobe with one Orcokinin soma visible (indicated with an arrow)
Diffuse RFamide-like immunoreactivity in the olfactory lobe with one RFamide soma visible (indicated with an arrow)
Contributions to conferences

Poster

Kümmerlen K, Raspe S, Harzsch S (2022) Diversität der Neurotransmitter und -modulatoren im Riechzentrum von Parhyale hawaiensis (Dana, 1895). 20. Crustaceologen Tagung

Kümmerlen K, Raspe S, Harzsch S (2022) Neuromodulator localization in the central olfactory pathway of the crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis. 17th European Symposium for Insect Taste and Olfaction

Kümmerlen K, Wittfoth C, Raspe S, Harzsch S (2021) Neuromodulator diversity in the central olfactory pathway of Parhyale hawaiensis (Dana, 1895). 14th Göttingen Meeting 2021 and 113th Meeting of the German Zoological Society (virtual)