The electro-receptive lateral line system appeared early in the evolutionary history of fish.Sturgeons,members of the primitive Chondrostei group,are known for their electroreceptors(ampullae of Lorenzini)on the head,...The electro-receptive lateral line system appeared early in the evolutionary history of fish.Sturgeons,members of the primitive Chondrostei group,are known for their electroreceptors(ampullae of Lorenzini)on the head,which are thought to be sensitive to weak electric fields in aquatic environments and involved in feeding,mating and migration.Here,we report the results of a set of behavioral and electrophysiological experiments designed to determine the function and characteristics of the electrosense in cultured sturgeons.The results showed Sibe-rian sturgeon(Acipenser baerii Brandt,1869)feeding striking at bio-electric fields produced by living feed-fish enclosed in a gel chamber and at the corrosion field produced by metal rods.With an electric stimulus that mim-ics the bio-electric fields produced by living prey,the relative discharge rate of electrosensory neurons in the dorsal octavolateralis nucleus(DON)was modulated by and phase-locked to sinusoidal stimulus and some units showed selectivity for dipolar direction in white sturgeon(Acipenser transmontanus Richardson,1836).This is the first study to provide the empirical evidence correlating with electrosensory behaviors and electrophysiolog-ical responses in cultured sturgeons,and suggesting that electrosense does play an innate role in feeding behav-ior of sturgeon.We believe this will have important implications for protecting sturgeons in the wild.展开更多
Objective The passive electrosense is a primitive sensory modality in the Chondrostei, which include sturgeon and paddlefish. Using electroreceptors, these fish detect the weak electric fields from other animals or ge...Objective The passive electrosense is a primitive sensory modality in the Chondrostei, which include sturgeon and paddlefish. Using electroreceptors, these fish detect the weak electric fields from other animals or geoelectric sources, and use this information for prey detection or other behaviors. The primary afferent fibers innervating the electroreceptors project to a single hindbrain target called the dorsal octavolateral nucleus （DON）, where the electrosensory information is first processed. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological properties of DON neurons. Methods Extracellular recording was used to investigate the response properties of DON neurons to dipole electric fields with different amplitudes and frequencies in the white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus. Results The DON neurons showed regular spontaneous activity and could be classified into two types： neurons with a low spontaneous rate （〈10 Hz） and those with a high spon- taneous rate （〉10 Hz）. In response to sinusoidal electric field stimuli, DON neurons showed sinusoidally-modulated and phase-locked firing. In addition, neurons showed opposite phase responses corresponding to the different directions of the dipole. Conclusion The response properties of DON neurons match the electrosensory biological function in sturgeon, as they match the characteristics of the electric fields of its prey.展开更多
The octavolateralis systems of fishes include the vestibular,auditory,lateral line and electrosensory systems.They are united by common developmental and neuro-computational features,including hair cell sensors and co...The octavolateralis systems of fishes include the vestibular,auditory,lateral line and electrosensory systems.They are united by common developmental and neuro-computational features,including hair cell sensors and computations based on cross-neuron analyses of differential hair cell stimulation patterns.These systems also all use both spectral and temporal filters to separate signals from each other and from noise,and the distributed senses(lateral line and electroreception)add spatial filters as well.Like all sensory systems,these sensors must provide the animal with guidance for adaptive behavior within a sensory scene composed of multiple stimuli and varying levels of ambient noise,including that created by human activities.In the extreme,anthropogenic activities impact the octavolateralis systems by destroying or degrading the habitats that provide ecological resources and sensory inputs.At slightly lesser levels of effect,anthropogenic pollutants can be damaging to fish tissues,with sensory organs often the most vulnerable.The exposed sensory cells of the lateral line and electrosensory systems are especially sensitive to aquatic pollution.At still lesser levels of impact,anthropogenic activities can act as both acute and chronic stressors,activating hormonal changes that may affect behavioral and sensory function.Finally,human activities are now a nearly ubiquitous presence in aquatic habitats,often with no obvious effects on the animals exposed to them.Ship noise,indigenous and industrial fishing techniques,and all the ancillary noises of human civilization form a major part of the soundscape of fishes.How fish use these new sources of information about their habitat is a new and burgeoning field of study.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30970365)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality of China(073205109)by hydrobiology funding project S30701 and the Excellent Graduate Students Theses Cultivation Program of Shang-hai Municipality.
文摘The electro-receptive lateral line system appeared early in the evolutionary history of fish.Sturgeons,members of the primitive Chondrostei group,are known for their electroreceptors(ampullae of Lorenzini)on the head,which are thought to be sensitive to weak electric fields in aquatic environments and involved in feeding,mating and migration.Here,we report the results of a set of behavioral and electrophysiological experiments designed to determine the function and characteristics of the electrosense in cultured sturgeons.The results showed Sibe-rian sturgeon(Acipenser baerii Brandt,1869)feeding striking at bio-electric fields produced by living feed-fish enclosed in a gel chamber and at the corrosion field produced by metal rods.With an electric stimulus that mim-ics the bio-electric fields produced by living prey,the relative discharge rate of electrosensory neurons in the dorsal octavolateralis nucleus(DON)was modulated by and phase-locked to sinusoidal stimulus and some units showed selectivity for dipolar direction in white sturgeon(Acipenser transmontanus Richardson,1836).This is the first study to provide the empirical evidence correlating with electrosensory behaviors and electrophysiolog-ical responses in cultured sturgeons,and suggesting that electrosense does play an innate role in feeding behav-ior of sturgeon.We believe this will have important implications for protecting sturgeons in the wild.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30970365)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality of China(073205109)+1 种基金Hydrobiology funding(S30701)a grant from the Excellent Graduate Students Theses Cultivation Program of Shanghai Municipality,China
文摘Objective The passive electrosense is a primitive sensory modality in the Chondrostei, which include sturgeon and paddlefish. Using electroreceptors, these fish detect the weak electric fields from other animals or geoelectric sources, and use this information for prey detection or other behaviors. The primary afferent fibers innervating the electroreceptors project to a single hindbrain target called the dorsal octavolateral nucleus （DON）, where the electrosensory information is first processed. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological properties of DON neurons. Methods Extracellular recording was used to investigate the response properties of DON neurons to dipole electric fields with different amplitudes and frequencies in the white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus. Results The DON neurons showed regular spontaneous activity and could be classified into two types： neurons with a low spontaneous rate （〈10 Hz） and those with a high spon- taneous rate （〉10 Hz）. In response to sinusoidal electric field stimuli, DON neurons showed sinusoidally-modulated and phase-locked firing. In addition, neurons showed opposite phase responses corresponding to the different directions of the dipole. Conclusion The response properties of DON neurons match the electrosensory biological function in sturgeon, as they match the characteristics of the electric fields of its prey.
基金supported by NSF IOS 0749984 and PSC-CUNY 69494-0038.
文摘The octavolateralis systems of fishes include the vestibular,auditory,lateral line and electrosensory systems.They are united by common developmental and neuro-computational features,including hair cell sensors and computations based on cross-neuron analyses of differential hair cell stimulation patterns.These systems also all use both spectral and temporal filters to separate signals from each other and from noise,and the distributed senses(lateral line and electroreception)add spatial filters as well.Like all sensory systems,these sensors must provide the animal with guidance for adaptive behavior within a sensory scene composed of multiple stimuli and varying levels of ambient noise,including that created by human activities.In the extreme,anthropogenic activities impact the octavolateralis systems by destroying or degrading the habitats that provide ecological resources and sensory inputs.At slightly lesser levels of effect,anthropogenic pollutants can be damaging to fish tissues,with sensory organs often the most vulnerable.The exposed sensory cells of the lateral line and electrosensory systems are especially sensitive to aquatic pollution.At still lesser levels of impact,anthropogenic activities can act as both acute and chronic stressors,activating hormonal changes that may affect behavioral and sensory function.Finally,human activities are now a nearly ubiquitous presence in aquatic habitats,often with no obvious effects on the animals exposed to them.Ship noise,indigenous and industrial fishing techniques,and all the ancillary noises of human civilization form a major part of the soundscape of fishes.How fish use these new sources of information about their habitat is a new and burgeoning field of study.
