Heterogeneous mass distribution of the rubble-pile asteroid (101955) Bennu

The gravity field of a small body provides insight into its internal mass distribution. We used two approaches to measure the gravity field of the rubble-pile asteroid (101955) Bennu: (i) tracking and modeling the spacecraft in orbit about the asteroid and (ii) tracking and modeling pebble-sized particles naturally ejected from Bennu's surface into sustained orbits. These approaches yield statistically consistent results up to degree and order 3, with the particle-based field being statistically significant up to degree and order 9. Comparisons with a constant-density shape model show that Bennu has a heterogeneous mass distribution. These deviations can be modeled with lower densities at Bennu's equatorial bulge and center. The lower-density equator is consistent with recent migration and redistribution of material. The lower-density center is consistent with a past period of rapid rotation, either from a previous Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack cycle or arising during Bennu's accretion following the disruption of its parent body.

Particle Ejection Contributions to the Rotational Acceleration and Orbit Evolution of Asteroid (101955) Bennu

This paper explores the implications of the observed Bennu particle ejection events for that asteroid's spin rate and orbit evolution, which could complicate interpretation of the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) and Yarkovsky effects on this body's spin rate and orbital evolution. Based on current estimates of particle ejection rates, we find that the overall contribution to Bennu's spin and orbital drift is small or negligible as compared to the Yarkovsky and YORP effects. However, if there is a large unseen component of smaller mass ejections or a strong directionality in the ejection events, it could constitute a significant contribution that could mask the overall YORP effect. This means that the YORP effect may be stronger than currently assumed. The analysis is generalized so that the particle ejection effect can be assessed for other bodies that may be subject to similar mass loss events. Further, our model can be modified to address different potential mechanisms of particle ejection, which are a topic of ongoing study.

The dynamic geophysical environment of (101955) Bennu based on OSIRIS-REx measurements

The top-shape morphology of asteroid (101955) Bennu is commonly found among fast-spinning asteroids and binary asteroid primaries, and might have contributed significantly to binary asteroid formation. Yet a detailed geophysical analysis of this morphology for a fast-spinning asteroid has not been possible prior to the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission. Combining the measured Bennu mass and shape obtained during the Preliminary Survey phase of OSIRIS-REx, we find a significant transition in Bennu's surface slopes within its rotational Roche lobe, defined as the region where material is energetically trapped to the surface. As the intersection of the rotational Roche lobe with Bennu's surface has been most recently migrating towards its equator (given Bennu's increasing spin rate), we infer that Bennu's surface slopes have been changing across its surface within the last million years. We also find evidence for substantial density heterogeneity within this body, suggesting that its interior has a distribution of voids and boulders. The presence of such heterogeneity and Bennu's top-shape is consistent with spin-induced failure at some point in its past, although the manner of its failure cannot be determined yet. Future measurements by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will give additional insights and may resolve questions regarding the formation and evolution of Bennu's top-shape morphology and its link to the formation of binary asteroids.

Hayabusa2 arrives at the carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu-A spinning top-shaped rubble pile

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft arrived at the near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu in 2018. We present Hayabusa2 observations of Ryugu's shape, mass, and geomorphology. Ryugu has an oblate "spinning top" shape, with a prominent circular equatorial ridge. Its bulk density, 1.19 ± 0.02 grams per cubic centimeter, indicates a high-porosity (>50%) interior. Large surface boulders suggest a rubble-pile structure. Surface slope analysis shows Ryugu's shape may have been produced from having once spun at twice the current rate. Coupled with the observed global material homogeneity, this suggests that Ryugu was reshaped by centrifugally induced deformation during a period of rapid rotation. From these remote-sensing investigations, we identified a suitable sample collection site on the equatorial ridge.

Dynamic Properties of Electrotonic Coupling between Cells of Early Xenopus Embryos

Frequency response functions were measured between the cells of Xenopus laevis embryos during the first two cleavage stages. Linear systems theory was then used to produce electronic models which account for the electrical behavior of the systems. Coupling between the cells may be explained by models which have simple resistive elements joining each cell to its neighbors. The vitelline, or fertilization, membrane which surrounds the embryos has no detectable resistance to the passage of electric current. The electrical properties of the four-cell embryo can only be explained by the existence of individual junctions linking each pair of cells. This arrangement suggests that electrotonic coupling is important in the development of the embryos, at least until the four-cell stage.

Frequency response functions and information capacities of paired spider mechanoreceptor neurons

Pseudorandom white-noise stimulation followed by direct spectral estimation was used to obtain linear frequency response and coherence functions from paired, but dynamically different, spider mechanosensory neurons. The dynamic properties of the two neuron types were similar with either mechanical or electrical stimulation, showing that action potential encoding dominates the dynamics. Phase-lag data indicated that action potential initiation occurs more rapidly during mechanical stimulation, probably in the distal sensory dendrites. Total information capacity, calculated from coherence, as well as information per action potential, were both similar in the two types of neurons, and similar to the few available estimates from other spiking neurons. However, information capacity and information per action potential both depended strongly on neuronal firing rate, which has not been reported before.

Postsynaptic dorsal column and cuneate neurons in raccoon: comparison of response properties and cross-correlation analysis

The responses of 111 postsynaptic dorsal column (PSDC) neurons in the cervical spinal cord and 51 cuneate neurons with receptive fields on the glabrous skin of the forepaw were studied in anesthetized raccoons using extracellular recording techniques. The PSDC neurons had larger receptive fields than the cuneate neurons, but in both groups the fields never extended onto hairy skin. PSDC and cuneate neurons had approximately the same mean latency to electrical stimulation of the receptive field, but PSDC neurons had significantly lower thresholds. The majority of both PSDC and cuneate neurons also responded to electrical stimulation of an adjacent digit, even though they did not respond to mechanical stimulation of that digit. Cross-correlation analysis of the activity of 51 pairs of PSDC and cuneate neurons recorded simultaneously revealed a significant interaction in 26 pairs during spontaneous activity. In 20 of these neuron pairs, the probability that the cuneate neuron would fire was greater after the PSDC neuron had fired (suggesting a spinocuneate interaction), five pairs showed an interaction in the opposite (cuneospinal) direction, and one pair had a significant inhibitory interaction. These interactions occurred more often when the receptive fields of the two neurons were overlapping than when their fields were on adjacent digits. Frequency response analysis revealed greater coherence for those pairs showing a spinocuneate interaction than for those with a cuneospinal interaction. These results support the hypothesis that the PSDC system exerts a tonic facilitatory effect on cuneate neurons and that there may be some somatotopic organization to the interactions. However, the similar response latencies of the two groups of neurons makes it unlikely that PSDC neurons could contribute to the rapid initial processing of cutaneous information by the cuneate nucleus.

Inactivation of voltage-activated Na(+) currents contributes to different adaptation properties of paired mechanosensory neurons

Voltage-activated sodium current (I(Na)) is primarily responsible for the leading edge of the action potential in many neurons. While I(Na) generally activates rapidly when a neuron is depolarized, its inactivation properties differ significantly between different neurons and even within one neuron, where I(Na) often has slowly and rapidly inactivating components. I(Na) inactivation has been suggested to regulate action potential firing frequency in some cells, but no clear picture of this relationship has emerged. We studied I(Na) in both members of the paired mechanosensory neurons of a spider slit-sense organ, where one neuron adapts rapidly (type A) and the other slowly (type B) in response to a step depolarization. In both neuron types I(Na) activated and inactivated with single time constants of 2--3 ms and 5--10 ms, respectively, varying with the stimulus intensity. However, there was a clear difference in the steady-state inactivation properties of the two neuron types, with the half-maximal inactivation (V(50)) being -40.1 mV in type A neurons and -58.1 mV in type B neurons. Therefore I(Na) inactivated closer to the resting potential in the more slowly adapting neurons. I(Na) also recovered from inactivation significantly faster in type B than type A neurons, and the recovery was dependent on conditioning voltage. These results suggest that while the rate of I(Na) inactivation is not responsible for the difference in the adaptation behavior of these two neuron types, the rate of recovery from inactivation may play a major role. Inactivation at lower potentials could therefore be crucial for more rapid recovery.

Predicting the responses of mechanoreceptor neurons to physiological inputs by nonlinear system identification

The nonlinear dynamic properties of action potential encoding were studied in mechanosensory neurons innervating the slits of a slit-sense organ in the tropical wandering spider, Cupiennius salei. The organ contains two types of neurons that are morphologically similar but have different dynamic properties. Type A neurons produce only one or two action potentials in response to a mechanical or electrical stimulus of any suprathreshold amplitude, while type B neurons can fire prolonged bursts of action potentials in response to similar stimuli. Neurons were stimulated with pseudorandomly modulated intracellular current while recording the resultant fluctuations in membrane potential and action potentials. A parallel cascade method was used to estimate a third-order Volterra series to describe the nonlinear dynamic relationship between membrane potential and action potentials. Kernels measured for the two types of neurons had reproducible forms that showed differences between the two neuron types. The measured kernels were able to predict the responses of the neurons to novel pseudorandomly modulated inputs with reasonable fidelity. However, the Volterra series did not adequately predict the difference in responses to step depolarizations.

Low-voltage-activated calcium current does not regulate the firing behavior in paired mechanosensory neurons with different adaptation properties

Low-voltage-activated Ca(2+) currents (LVA-I(Ca)) are believed to perform several roles in neurons such as lowering the threshold for action potentials, promoting burst firing and oscillatory behavior, and enhancing synaptic excitation. They also may allow rapid increases in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. We discovered LVA-I(Ca) in both members of paired mechanoreceptor neurons in a spider, where one neuron adapts rapidly (Type A) and the other slowly (Type B) in response to a step stimulus. To learn if I(Ca) contributed to the difference in adaptation behavior, we studied the kinetics of I(Ca) from isolated somata under single-electrode voltage-clamp and tested its physiological function under current clamp. LVA-I(Ca) was large enough to fire single action potentials when all other voltage-activated currents were blocked, but we found no evidence that it regulated firing behavior. LVA-I(Ca) did not lower the action potential threshold or affect firing frequency. Previous experiments have failed to find Ca(2+)-activated K(+) current (I(K(Ca))) in the somata of these neurons, so it is also unlikely that LVA-I(Ca) interacts with I(K(Ca)) to produce oscillatory behavior. We conclude that LVA-Ca(2+) channels in the somata, and possible in the dendrites, of these neurons open in response to the depolarization caused by receptor current and by the voltage-activated Na(+) current (I(Na)) that produces action potential(s). However, the role of the increased intracellular Ca(2+) concentration in neuronal function remains enigmatic.

Hyposmotically activated chloride channels in cultured rabbit non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cells

1. We used whole-cell patch-clamp recording techniques and noise analysis of whole-cell current to investigate the properties of hyposmotic shock (HOS)-activated Cl- channels in SV40-transformed rabbit non-pigmented ciliary epithelial (NPCE) cells. 2. Under conditions designed to isolate Cl- currents, exposure of cells to hyposmotic external solution reversibly increased the whole-cell conductance. 3. The whole-cell current activated with a slow time course (> 15 min), exhibited outward rectification and was Cl- selective. 4. The disulphonic stilbene derivatives 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS, 0.5 mM), 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS, 0. 5 mM) and 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DNDS, 0.5 mM) produced a voltage-sensitive block of HOS-activated Cl- current at depolarized potentials, whereas niflumic acid produced a voltage-independent block of the current. 5. Under Ca2+-free conditions, HOS stimulation still reversibly activated the Cl- current, but the amplitude of current was reduced and the time course of current activation was slower compared with control (P < 0. 05). 6. The non-specific kinase inhibitor H-7 (100 microM), upregulated HOS-activated Cl- current amplitude in all cells tested (P < 0.05). 7. Noise analysis of whole-cell Cl- current indicated that cell swelling activated a high density of small conductance Cl- channels (< 1 pS). 8. We conclude that HOS primarily activates a high density of volume-sensitive small conductance Cl- channels in rabbit NPCE cells, and that Ca2+ and phosphorylation are involved in channel regulation.

Temperature sensitivity of transduction and action potential conduction in a spider mechanoreceptor

Previous work has suggested that the activation energy of mechanotransduction is higher than expected from the simple electrochemistry of ion channels, but the temperature sensitivity of mechanically activated receptor current has not been measured directly before. We used the single-electrode voltage-clamp technique to measure receptor currents in sensory neurons of the VS-3 slit-sense organ in the spider, Cupiennius salei. Receptor currents were generated by deforming the cuticular slits. Conduction velocity in afferent axons from the same organ was also measured by recording action potentials at two locations in the leg during mechanical stimulation of the slits. Activation energies of mechanotransduction and conduction velocity were estimated by making the measurements at a range of temperatures. The mean activation energy for receptor current was 23.1 kcal/mol (96.6 kJ/mol), corresponding to a Q10 value of 3.2. Conduction velocity in the afferent axons was approximately equal to 5 m/s at room temperature and it was much less temperature sensitive, with an activation energy of 6.3 kcal/mol (26.3 kJ/mol), corresponding to a Q10 value of 1.5. These results provide the first direct measurements of the activation energy of mechanically activated currents and support previous suggestions that a high thermal energy barrier is involved in mechanotransduction.

Primary culture of antennal mechanoreceptor neurons of Manduca sexta

We have developed a primary cell culture system of antennal mechanoreceptor neurons from early-stage pupal sphinx moth Manduca sexta. Dissociated neurons from the moth antennae differentiated, grew and survived for several weeks in a conditioned culture medium. Bipolar neurons with soma diameters of 10-25 microns from the basal portion of the antennae could be positively identified as mechanoreceptor neurons, presumably derived from Johnston's organ, using a monoclonal antibody that recognizes neurofilaments in these neurons. The immunoreactivity was clear and specific from the first day after dissociation and became stronger during several days in culture. These neurons appeared healthy and showed normal whole-cell properties only a few days after plating. We found numerous mechanosensitive ion channels responding to both negative and positive pressures on the somata and neurites of differentiated neurons. This new culture system provides access to mechanoreceptor neurons that has never been possible before, allowing the use of both mechanical and electrical stimuli on neurons that are free from the accessory structures surrounding them in intact preparations.

Voltage-activated potassium outward currents in two types of spider mechanoreceptor neurons

We studied the properties of voltage-activated outward currents in two types of spider cuticular mechanoreceptor neurons to learn if these currents contribute to the differences in their adaptation properties. Both types of neurons adapt rapidly to sustained stimuli, but type A neurons usually only fire one or two action potentials, whereas type B neurons can fire bursts lasting several hundred milliseconds. We found that both neurons had two outward current components, 1) a transient current that activated rapidly when stimulated from resting potential and inactivated with maintained stimuli and 2) a noninactivating outward current. The transient outward current could be blocked by 5 mM tetraethylammonium chloride, 5 mM 4-aminopyridine, or 100 microM quinidine, but these blockers also reduced the amplitude of the noninactivating outward current. Charybdotoxin or apamin did not have any effect on the outward currents, indicating that Ca2+-activated K+ currents were not present or not inhibited by these toxins. The only significant differences between type A and type B neurons were found in the half-maximal activation (V50) values of both currents. The transient current had a V50 value of 9. 6 mV in type A neurons and -13.1 mV in type B neurons, whereas the V50 values of noninactivating outward currents were -48.9 mV for type A neurons and -56.7 mV for type B neurons. We conclude that, although differences in the activation kinetics of the voltage-activated K+ currents could contribute to the difference in the adaptation behavior of type A and type B neurons, they are not major factors.

Principal dynamic mode analysis of nonlinear transduction in a spider mechanoreceptor

The nonlinear dynamics of the mechanoelectrical transduction in an arthropod mechanoreceptor (cuticular slit sense organ of the spider Cupiennius salei) were studied using Volterra kernel measurements and the recently proposed method of principal dynamic modes. Since mechanoreceptors must operate with sufficient gain sensitivity to rapidly varying displacement stimuli over a broad bandwidth and for a wide range of amplitudes, the experimental data were generated by applying pseudorandom broadband mechanical displacements of various mean levels to the cuticular slits. The recorded response data were intracellular current and potential. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the use of the principal dynamic mode (PDM) methodology in elucidating the nonlinear dynamics of a spider mechanoreceptor. The results obtained demonstrate that two PDMs suffice to provide a complete nonlinear dynamic model of this insect mechanoreceptor. The first PDM resembles the first-order kernel and has a low pass characteristic (position dependent), while the second PDM has a high-pass characteristic (velocity-dependent) and resides entirely in the second-order kernel (nonlinear adaptation). This study may serve as an example of the proper use of this new methodology for the analysis of nonlinear physiological systems.

Estimated single-channel conductance of mechanically-activated channels in a spider mechanoreceptor

Noise analysis was used to estimate the single-channel conductance and number of channels responsible for the mechanically-activated current in the sensory neurons of a spider mechanoreceptor organ. External slits of the VS-3 slit-sense organ in the patellar cuticle of Cupiennius salei were moved with a piezoelectric stimulator while glass microelectrodes penetrated the adjacent cell bodies. Receptor currents were measured by the switching single-electrode voltage clamp technique during both step and ramp displacements of the slits. Current records were segmented in time, and the variance and amplitude of the current were obtained from each segment, to allow fitting of the variance vs. amplitude relationship by a standard equation based on a two-state channel. Mean values of 7.5 pS and 253 were obtained for the conductance and number of channels from 75 separate recordings. These values are in good agreement with the small number of other estimates of these parameters from different mechanoreceptor preparations.

Evaluation of the potential immunotoxicity of bromodichloromethane in rats and mice

In the past two decades, concern has been expressed over the potential carcinogenicity of disinfection by-products (DBPs) found in chlorinated drinking water. More recently, research efforts have expanded to include noncancer endpoints as well. The objective of the present studies was to evaluate the potential of bromodichloromethane (BDCM), one of the most prevalent DBPs, to adversely affect immune function in mice and rats following drinking water or gavage exposure. Antigen-specific immunity was assessed as the antibody response to sheep erythrocytes; responses to T- and B-cell mitogens were evaluated as a non-antigen-specific measure of the proliferative potential of splenic and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes. In consideration of an exposure route relevant to humans, C57BL/6 mice received 0.05, 0.25, or 0.5 g BDCM/L and F344 rats received 0.07 or 0.7 g BDCM/L via drinking water. In order to evaluate the effects of higher doses, animals were administered 50, 125, or 250 mg BDCM/kg/d (mice) or 75, 150, or 300 mg BDCM/kg/d (rats) via gavage. Under the conditions of these studies, no significant adverse effects on immune function were observed in mice. Despite some changes that were observed in non-antigen-specific immunity in rats, these experiments suggest that the immune system is not a sensitive target organ for BDCM toxicity.

Adaptation properties of two types of sensory neurons in a spider mechanoreceptor organ

The VS-3 slit-sense organs of the tropical wandering spider Cupiennius salei contain two types of mechanosensory neurons with similar morphology but different adaptation properties. We measured the changes in membrane potential produced by mechanical stimulation and by electric current stimulation in a large number of neurons of both types. No significant differences were found between the passive membrane properties of the two groups, but there were significant differences in the extent and time course of receptor potential adaptation between the two types of neurons. These data, combined with the responses to suprathreshold electrical stimuli, indicate that adaptational differences exist at several stages in these neurons but that active membrane conductances dominate the overall behavior. The passive membrane measurements also indicate that effective voltage clamp of the receptor current at the tips of the sensory dendrites is possible in these neurons.

Na+-Dependent neuritic spikes initiate Ca2+-dependent somatic plateau action potentials in insect dorsal paired median neurons

The origin of plateau action potentials was studied in short-term cultures of dorsal paired median (DPM) neurons dissociated from the terminal abdominal ganglion of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Spontaneous plateau action potentials were recorded by intracellular microelectrodes in cell bodies that had neurite stumps. These action potentials featured a fast initial depolarization followed by a plateau. However, only fast spikes of short duration were observed when the cell was hyperpolarized from the resting membrane potential. These two different components of the action potentials could be separated by applying depolarizing current pulses from a hyperpolarized holding potential. Application of 200 nM tetrodotoxin (TTX) abolished both fast and slow phases, but depolarization to the original resting potential by steady current injection triggered slow monophasic action potentials that could be blocked by 3 mM CoCl2. In contrast, DPM neurons without neurites were not spontaneously active. In these cells, calcium-dependent slow monophasic action potentials were only recorded immediately after impalement or with current pulse stimulation. Immunocytochemical observations showed that dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neuron cell bodies, which are known to exhibit spontaneous sodium-dependent action potentials, reacted with an antibody directed against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the SP19 segment of voltage-activated sodium channels. In contrast, the antibody did not stain DPM neuron cell bodies but gave intense, patchy staining only in the neurite. Whole cell patch-clamp experiments performed on isolated DPM neuron cell bodies without a neurite revealed the presence of an inward current that did not inactivate completly within the duration of the test pulse. This current was insensitive to both 100 nM TTX and sodium-free saline. It was defined as a high-voltage-activated calcium current according to its high threshold of activation (-30 mV) and its sensitivity to 1 mM CdCl2 and 100 nM omega-conotoxin GVIA. Our findings demonstrate that spontaneous sodium-dependent spikes arising from the neurite are required to initiate slow somatic calcium-dependent action potentials in DPM neurons.

Two methods for calculating the responses of photoreceptors to moving objects

The responses of photoreceptor cells to moving stimuli are crucial to understanding motion detection in visual systems. However, these responses are not well characterized quantitatively because they result from a combination of spatial optical behavior in the lens systems with temporal behavior in the phototransduction mechanism. While both these processes can now be modeled quite well by relatively simple equations, their combination cannot be easily obtained in a closed form. Here, we present two approaches to this problem, based on well-established models for the lens and photoreceptors systems of the fly compound eye. The first approach leads to a recursive formula for predicting the photoreceptor response to a moving point object. The second method is approximate, but almost equally accurate and more rapid.

Information transmission at 500 bits/s by action potentials in a mechanosensory neuron of the cockroach

Action potentials are widely used to transmit information within nervous systems but information encoding and transmission rates by action potentials are poorly understood. In the absence of knowledge about encoding, most previous work has used signal-to-noise ratios to estimate information capacities. We used a mechanosensory neuron to transmit information by a simple encoding scheme that allowed us to measure the transmission rate directly. Using either mechanical or electrical stimulation, information was transmitted at rates up to 500 bits/s, higher than ever reported before for real action potentials. However, the maximum possible message length decreased strongly with transmission rate, from approximately infinite at 100 bits/s to approximately 100 ms at 500 bits/ s, probably due to ionic adaptation processes within the neuronal membrane.

Evaluation of the potential immunotoxicity of chlorinated drinking water in mice

Recent epidemiological studies have reported associations between the consumption of chlorinated drinking water and various types of human cancer; in addition, exposure to chlorine (Cl-) in drinking water has been reported to suppress certain immune functions in laboratory animals. The current studies were conducted to extend our knowledge of the effects of drinking water exposure to Cl-. Female C57BL/6 mice were administered hyperchlorinated drinking water (7.5, 15, or 30 ppm Cl-) for 2 weeks prior to sacrifice for evaluation of spleen and thymus weights, the plaque-forming cell (PFC) response, hemagglutination (HA) titer, and lymphocyte proliferation (LP). Significant reductions in organ weights and immune response were observed in the positive control groups (i.e. dexamethasone- or cyclophosphamide-exposed mice). No consistent differences were observed between the Cl--exposed animals and vehicle control mice for the evaluated parameters. Thus, under the conditions of these experiments, 2 weeks of exposure to hyperchlorinated drinking water had no apparent adverse effects on immune function.

Ionic selectivity of mechanically activated channels in spider mechanoreceptor neurons

The lyriform slit-sense organ on the patella of the spider, Cupiennius salei, consists of seven or eight slits, with each slit innervated by a pair of mechanically sensitive neurons. Mechanotransduction is believed to occur at the tips of the dendrites, which are surrounded by a Na+-rich receptor lymph. We studied the ionic basis of sensory transduction in these neurons by voltage-clamp measurement of the receptor current, replacement of extracellular cations, and application of specific blocking agents. The relationship between mechanically activated current and membrane potential could be approximated by the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz current equation, with an asymptotic inward conductance of approximately 4.6 nS, indicating that 50-230 channels of 20-80 pS each would suffice to produce the receptor current. Amiloride and gadolinium, which are known to block mechanically activated ion channels, also blocked the receptor current. Ionic replacement showed that the channels are not permeable to choline or Rb+, but are partly permeable to Li+. The receptor current was inward at all membrane potentials (-200 to +200 mV) and never reversed, indicating high selectivity for Na+ over K+. This situation contrasts strongly with insect mechanoreceptors, vertebrate hair cells, and mechanically activated ion channels in nonsensory cells, most of which are either unselective for monovalent cations or selective for K+.

A large conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ channel in a human lung epithelial cell line (A549)

A large conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ channel in a human lung epithelial cell line (A549) was identified using the single channel patch clamp technique. Channel conductance was 242 +/- 33 pS (n = 67) in symmetrical KCl (140 mM). The channel was activated by membrane depolarization and increased cytosolic Ca2+. High selectivity was observed for K+ over Rb+(0.49) > Cs+(0.14) > Na+(0.09). Open probability was significantly decreased by Ba2+ (5 mM) and quinidine (5 mM) to either surface, but TEA (5 mM) was only effective when added to the external surface. All effects were reversible. Increasing cytosolic Ca2+ concentration from 10(-7) to 10(-6) M caused an increase in open probability from near zero to fully activated. ATP decreased open probability at approximately 2 mM, but the effect was variable. The channel was almost always observed together with a smaller conductance channel, although they could both be seen individually. We conclude that A549 cells contain large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels which could explain a major fraction of the K+ conductance in human alveolar epithelial membranes.

The efficiency of sensory information coding by mechanoreceptor neurons

Most sensory systems encode external signals into action potentials for transmission to the central nervous system, but little is known about the cost or efficiency of this encoding. We measured the information capacity at three stages of encoding in the neurons of a spider slit-sense mechanoreceptor organ. For the receptor current under voltage clamp, the capacity was approximately 1400 bits/s, but when the neuron was allowed to generate a receptor potential, nonlinear membrane processes improved the capacity to >2000 bits/s. Finally, when action potentials were produced, the capacity dropped to approximately 200 bits/s, or approximately 14% of the receptor current capacity. These measurements provide a quantitative estimation of the cost of encoding analog signals into action potentials.

Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 specifically inhibits a receptor-mediated Ca2+-dependent Cl- current in CFPAC-1 cells

We have examined the role of inositol 3,4,5,6-tetrakisphosphate [Ins(3,4,5,6)P4] in the control of Cl- current in CFPAC-1 cells. Intracellular Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 had no effect on basal current, but it produced a five- to sevenfold reduction in the Cl- current stimulated by either 2 microM extracellular ATP or by 1 microM extracellular thapsigargin. The half-maximally effective dose of Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 was 2.9 microM, and 4 microM blocked >80% of the ATP-activated current. In contrast, 10 microM Ins(1,4,5,6)P4, Ins(1,3,4,5)P4, or Ins(1,3,4,6)P4 enhanced rather than inhibited the ATP-activated Cl- current, although Ins(1,4,5,6)P4 only acted transiently. These stimulatory effects were Ca2+ dependent and largely inhibited by coapplication of equimolar Ins(3,4,5,6)P4. Inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate, the precursor of Ins(3,4,5,6)P4, did not affect Cl- current. These data consolidate and extend the hypothesis that Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 is an important intracellular regulator of Cl- current in epithelial cells.

Visual acuity for moving objects in first- and second-order neurons of the fly compound eye

The early stages of visual systems contain a variety of components that limit both the spatial resolution and the temporal resolution of vision. When an animal sees a moving object, or moves relative to its environment, both spatial and temporal factors contribute to its ability to resolve the movement. In the present work we have combined currently available knowledge about the early stages of fly vision (optical system, photoreceptors, and large monopolar cells) to predict the resolution of the first two cell layers to moving point objects. These calculations included recent measurements of nonlinear light responses. Because background light level has a strong effect on the temporal behavior of these early visual layers, we examined the effects of light level on motion resolution. We also studied the effect of position within the eye, which is known to affect the static resolution of vision. Our results indicate that responses in large monopolar cells to moving point objects are maximal at angular velocities of 100-200 degrees/s. The resolution of point objects by both these early stages of the visual system is similar from stationary to an angular velocity of approximately 200 degrees/s. Above this, resolution deteriorates approximately linearly with velocity.

Patterns of cell death during gastrulation in chick and mouse embryos

We have examined the distribution of cells at an early stage of the cell death process in gastrulating chick and mouse embryos, using a DNA nick end-labelling technique to label nuclei that are undergoing DNA fragmentation in situ. In the chick embryo, the incidence of nuclei showing DNA fragmentation was mapped by digitizing the occurrence of these nuclei from sections, and reconstructing the three separate layers of the entire embryo at several stages of gastrulation. In the chick, DNA fragmentation was found in nuclei throughout the embryo, in cells of all three germ layers, but most especially in the epiblast in the rostral germinal crescent and in the lateral marginal zones. This region of greatest cell death formed an arc rostrally and laterally in the epiblast, and was consistent through gastrulation and into the early neurulation stage. While the extensive cell death in the chick embryo may be due to cell redundancy, it is also possible that the pattern of death observed could be related to the compression of the embryo against the barrier of yolk at the periphery of the area pellucida during expansion. In a number of cases in the chick, local regions of elevated cell death were also observed in the primitive streak. This may be associated with the changing cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions experienced by cells traversing the primitive streak. In the gastrulating mouse embryo, by contrast, nuclei undergoing DNA fragmentation showed no consistent regions of elevated incidence, in any of the embryonic layers. DNA fragmentation in these embryos was, however, observed in nuclei of cells in the visceral endoderm and in the epiblast. The lack of any clear pattern of DNA fragmentation in the mouse embryo at this stage of development leaves the roles of the dying cells enigmatic. The death may, however, be lineage-related or be a reflection of a cellular redundancy necessary in a developing system that is undergoing extensive cell rearrangement and cellular adhesive change.

Rapid coating of glass-capillary microelectrodes for single-electrode voltage-clamp

The single-electrode voltage-clamp technique requires sharp glass-capillary microelectrodes, whose electrical properties often limit the capabilities of the recording system. Here, we describe a rapid and simple way of coating fine microelectrodes with Dricote and Vaseline that improves their performance during voltage-clamp. The coating prevented clogging of the tips, improved the capacitance compensation of the electrodes, helped to seal the electrode tips into cell membranes and allowed visualization of the tips under saline solution. This new coating method led to greatly improved recordings and better characterization of the transduction and voltage-activated currents in an isolated preparation of spider mechanosensory neurons.

Information processing by graded-potential transmission through tonically active synapses

Many neurons use graded membrane-potential changes, instead of action potentials, to transmit information. Traditional synaptic models feature discontinuous transmitter release by presynaptic action potentials, but this is not true for synapses between graded-potential neurons. In addition to graded and continuous transmitter release, they have multiple active zones, ribbon formations and L-type Ca2+ channels. These differences are probably linked to the high rate of vesicle fusion required for continuous transmitter release. Early stages of sensory systems provide some of the best characterized graded-potential neurons, and recent work on these systems suggests that modification of synaptic transmission by adaptation is a powerful feature of graded synapses.

Transduction and adaptation in spider slit sense organ mechanoreceptors

1. Mechanoreceptor neurons in spider (Cupiennlus salei) slit sense organ were examined by intracellular current- and voltageclarry recordings. Steps and pseudorandomly modulated displacement stimuli were delivered to the mechanosensitive cuticular slits. The resulting responses were used to determine the response dynamics and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of mechanoelectrical transduction. 2. Neurons were separated into two groups that, in terms of their afferent discharges, displayed different adaptations to displacement stimuli. Both responded at the onset of the step but then adapted fully, either immediately or within 10-200 ms. Voltage-clamp recordings showed only small differences in the receptor currents of the two groups. 3. Displacement of the slit caused a large inward current that decayed in seconds to a steady level of approximately 10-25% of the initial transient. When adapted to a steady displacement, the neurons responded to superimposed displacements in the same direction with additional transient currents, whose decay could be fitted by two exponentials with time constants of approximately 10 and 100 ms. In contrast, displacement in the opposite direction caused small "outward" currents without obvious adaptation. This behavior persisted with increasing background displacements, suggesting a shift in the displacement-response curve along the displacement axis. 4. White noise stimulation supported the step data and confirmed that the receptor's sensitivity was independent of mean slit membrane displacement. When the relative displacement of the stimulus (i.e., strain) was held constant at different maintained backgrounds, the SNR of the neurons remained fairly constant at approximately 2-10 over the frequency range from 4 to 450 Hz. The receptor current frequency responses showed high-pass characteristics, with a two- to sevenfold enhancement of the response amplitude and a phase lag relative to the stimulus of 90 degrees at 300 Hz. Low coherence values in the frequency range of 0.5-125 Hz were explained by nonlinear adaptation. 5. We conclude that, by rapidly adapting to the mean displacement of the slit membrane, slit organ mechanoreceptor neurons maintain a high sensitivity and SNR that allow the detection of small and rapid changes in cuticular strain.

Nonlinear models of the first synapse in the light-adapted fly retina

1. Randomly modulated light stimuli were used to characterize the nonlinear dynamic properties of the synapse between photoreceptors and large monopolar neurons (LMC) in the fly retina. Membrane potential fluctuations produced by constant variance contrast stimuli were recorded at eight different levels of background light intensity. 2. Representation of the photoreceptor-LMC input-output data in the form of traditional characteristic curves indicated that synaptic gain was reduced by light adaptation. However, this representation did not include the time-dependent properties of the synaptic function, which are known to be nonlinear. Therefore nonlinear systems analysis was used to characterize the synapse. 3. The responses of photoreceptors and LMCs to random light fluctuations were characterized by second-order Volterra series, with kernel estimation by the parallel cascade method. Photoreceptor responses were approximately linear, but LMC responses were clearly nonlinear. 4. Synaptic input-output relationships were measured by passing the light stimuli to LMCs through the measured photoreceptor characteristics to obtain an estimate of the synaptic input. The resulting nonlinear synaptic functions were well characterized by second-order Volterra series. They could not be modeled by a linear-nonlinear-linear cascade but were better approximated by a nonlinear-linear-nonlinear cascade. 5. These results support two possible structural models of the synapse, the first having two parallel paths for signal flow between the photoreceptor and LMC, and the second having two distinct nonlinear operations, occurring before and after chemical transmission. 6. The two models were cach used to calculate the synaptic gain to a brief change in photoreceptor membrane potential. Both models predicted that synaptic gain is reduced by light adaptation.

Characterization and regulation of a chloride channel from bovine tracheal epithelium

1. The patch-clamp technique was used to characterize chloride channels from the apical membranes of bovine tracheal epithelial cells. Application of GTP gamma S or NaF to excised patches revealed the existence of a novel type of Cl- channel regulated by G-proteins in a membrane-delimited manner. 2. The channel had a linear current-voltage relationship, with a conductance of 100-120 pS. Its open probability was independent of voltage. 3. The channel was highly anion selective (permeability ratio, PNa/PCl = 0.06 +/- 0.04) and had the halide permeability sequence: I- > Br- > or = Cl- > F-, corresponding to the Eisenman I sequence. This suggested that neither ionic size nor diffusion rate determined ion permeation through the channel. 4. The mole fraction behaviour was studied using fluoride and chloride ions. Mixtures of ions produced currents that would be expected from the linear combination of the two ions acting independently, indicating relatively simple permeation through the pore and compatible with a single ion binding site. 5. The channel was inhibited by the stilbene disulphonates SITS (4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2'-disulphonic acid) and DNDS (4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-sulphonic acid). SITS introduced voltage dependence to channel gating and indicated the possible involvement of lysine residues in the channel permeation pathway. 6. NaF was unable to activate Cl- channels in the presence of the aluminum chelator, deferoxamine mesylate. This indicates that Al3+ ions play an important role in chloride channel activation by fluoride. NaF activation was not dependent on the presence of calcium ions. 7. The channel was insensitive to alkaline phosphatase and to the specific inhibitors of protein phosphatase types I and 2A, okadaic acid and calyculin A. 8. The channels could be activated by GTP gamma S or by NaF in the presence of the phospholipase A2 inhibitor quinacrine, indicating that this enzyme is not involved in channel regulation.

Recording from cuticular mechanoreceptors during mechanical stimulation

It is technically demanding to make intracellular measurements of mechanoreception in intact arthropod cuticular receptors. Here we introduce a method for recording mechanically induced electrical events in a class of spider mechanoreceptors using single electrode voltage- or current-clamp. A concave piece of cuticle containing a mechanosensitive lyriform slit organ was dissected free and fixed with wax onto a specially designed holder. This holder-cuticle complex, filled with spider saline, allowed displacement of the slit membrane from below while simultaneously recording intracellularly from neurons of the organ through a thin saline film. Extracellular ion concentrations could be changed and ion channel blockers could be applied to the bath. The method promises to allow the investigation of the ion channels responsible for mechanically transduced receptor signals and spike encoding.

Evidence that pH-titratable groups control the activity of a large epithelial chloride channel

The effects of pH changes were examined on the properties of a large, voltage dependent, epithelial Cl- channel from bovine tracheal cells. Alkaline solutions in the range pH = 7.4-9.2 had no detectable effects on channel conductance or gating. However, acid solutions significantly reduced channel open probability, raising the voltage required to open the channel. Analysis of channel activity in the acidic pH range suggested that at least one charged group on the channel with an apparent pK = 6.09, is responsible for its voltage dependence. Neutralization of this charge does not eliminate the voltage dependence, but changes the energy difference between the closed and open states. The absence of any change in channel conductance over this wide pH range suggests that the protonation site is far removed from the channel permeation pathway.

Nonlinear neuronal mode analysis of action potential encoding in the cockroach tactile spine neuron

Neuronal mode analysis is a recently developed technique for modelling the behavior of nonlinear systems whose outputs consist of action potentials. The system is modelled as a set of parallel linear filters, or modes, which feed into a multi-input threshold. The characteristics of the principal modes and the multi-input threshold device can be derived from Laguerre function expansions of the computed first- and second-order Volterra kernels when the system is stimulated with a randomly varying input. Neuronal mode analysis was used to model the encoder properties of the cockroach tactile spine neuron, a nonlinear, rapidly adapting, sensory neuron with reliable behavior. The analysis found two principal modes, one rapid and excitatory, the other slower and inhibitory. The two modes have analogies to two of the pathways in a block-structured model of the encoder that was developed from previous physiological investigations of the neuron. These results support the block-structured model and offer a new approach to identifying the components responsible for the nonlinear dynamic properties of this neuronal encoder.

Slowly inactivating outward currents in a cuticular mechanoreceptor neuron of the cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

1. Although rapid adaptation is a widespread feature of sensory receptors, its ionic basis has not been clearly established in any touch receptor, because their small sizes have severely restricted the range of experiments tat can be performed. In the cockroach tactile spine, intracellular voltage-clamp recordings are now possible. 2. The basic electrophysiological properties of the cockroach femoral tactile spine neuron were studied using discontinuous (switching) single-electrode current- and voltage-clamp recordings. A slowly inactivating voltage-sensitive K+ outward current was detected after the major inward currents were blocked with tetrodotoxin. 3. The total outward current activated in < 1 ms at voltages above 0 mV. At moderate depolarizations it did not inactivate, but at higher depolarizations an inactivation time constant of approximately 260 ms was measured. Some recordings also revealed an additional, slower inactivation time constant of approximately 2.5 s. 4. More than half of the voltage-sensitive K+ outward current could be blocked with the Ca2+ channel blockers Co2+ and Cd2+. Tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA) also reduced the amplitude of the outward current to about half of its original amplitude. The actions of both blockers were reversible and probably reflect overlapping blockades of two separate outward currents. 5. The reversal potentials of the currents that remained after block with Co2+ (-91.7 mV) or TEA (-86.8 mV) were both near the K+ equilibrium potential expected for the tactile spine neuron. The voltage dependencies of activation of the Co(2+)- and TEA-resistant currents were both well fitted by Boltzmann distributions, giving values of half maximal activation (V50) equal to -34.5 mV for the Co(2+)-resistant current and -51.3 mV for the TEA-resistant current. 6. Current-clamp recordings revealed that the TEA-sensitive K+ current was the major component of action potential repolarization but that it did not effect the frequency of action potentials evoked by steady depolarization. On the other hand, blockers of Ca(2+)-sensitive K+ currents (Cd2+, Co2+, or charybdotoxin) reduced adaptation and increased the frequency of action potentials significantly but did not effect the duration or amplitude of individual action potentials.

Sodium channel distribution in a spider mechanosensory organ

A site-directed antibody was used immunocytochemically to measure the distribution of sodium channels in the tissues of a spider mechanoreceptor organ. The VS-3 slit sense organ contains 7-8 pairs of bipolar sensory neurons; these neurons are representative of a wide range of arthropod mechanoreceptors. Sensory transduction is thought to occur at the tips of the dendrites and to cause action potentials that are regeneratively conducted to the cell bodies, although it has not been possible to confirm this by direct intracellular recordings from the dendrites. Wholemount preparations were labelled by immunofluorescence and thin sections were immunogold labelled, using an antibody to the highly conserved SP19 sequence of the voltage-activated sodium channel. Labelling for sodium channels was found in the neurons and in their surrounding glial cells. Both cytoplasm and membranes were labelled, but immunogold particles were clearly aligned along cell membranes, indicating that the majority of labelling represented membrane-bound sodium channels. Channel density in the dendrites was similar to the axons and higher than in the cell bodies, supporting the idea of active conduction in the sensory dendrites. Labelling in glial cell membranes was indistinguishable from the neighboring neurons, suggesting a significant role for sodium channels in the functions of these supporting cells.

Fast-acting compressive and facilitatory nonlinearities in light-adapted fly photoreceptors

Light-adapted fly photoreceptor cells were stimulated with brief positive and negative contrast flashes (contrast = delta I/I, I = intensity). Membrane potential responses to a wide range of flash intensities were well-fitted by a static nonlinearity followed by a compartmental model represented by a gamma function. However, the agreement improved if one parameter of the gamma function, n, varied quadratically with input light intensity. Response amplitude and time to peak were estimated from the fitted parameters. Response amplitude varied approximately linearly with contrast but showed nonlinear compression with the largest negative flashes. Reducing the background light level by 3 decades or hyperpolarizing the cell electrically produced stronger nonlinear compression with both contrast polarities. This is probably due to fast voltage-activated K+ channels. Responses to double flashes with varying time separations were well-fitted by summed gamma functions, allowing separation of the individual flash responses. There was no detectable time-dependent interaction between paired positive flashes at all separations. However, the response to two negative flashes was greater than the linear prediction at short separations, and this facilitatory nonlinearity decayed with a time constant of about 1 msec. The facilitation is probably related to resonant behavior in light-adapted photoreceptors and may be due to an IP3-induced intracellular Ca2+ release.

Sodium-dependent receptor current in a new mechanoreceptor preparation

1. Intracellular microelectrodes recorded the receptor potential and receptor current in the neurons of spider slit sense organs during mechanical stimulation of the slits. 2. Mechanical stimulation produced two patterns of action potential discharge, corresponding to the two groups of neurons described previously by electrical stimulation. 3. Tetrodotoxin eliminated the action potentials and revealed a receptor potential with both static and adapting components. Voltage clamp gave an inward receptor current with a similar time course. 4. Replacement of sodium ions in the bath reversibly eliminated the receptor current, indicating that it is carried by sodium ions. However, this effect was comparatively slow, suggesting that the tips of the sensory dendrites lie in a chemically restricted environment.

Characterization of a transient outward current in a rapidly adapting insect mechanosensory neuron

This paper describes the first voltage-clamp recordings from an arthropod cuticular sensory neuron. In the femoral tactile spine neuron of the cockroach Periplaneta americana, a rapidly activating and inactivating outward current, IA, appeared when the neuron was hyperpolarized for a short period before a depolarizing test pulse. IA could be separated from the other outward currents using 5 mM 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), which specifically blocked it. Tetraethylammonium (TEA), (50 mM) did not remove IA, but decreased the steady-state outward current by about 50%. The threshold for IA activation was about -75 mV. The minimum activation and inactivation time constants were approximately 0.2 ms and 15 ms, respectively. The voltage dependencies of activation and inactivation were well fit-ted by Boltzmann distributions, giving values of membrane potential at half-maximal activation (V50) equal to -56.5 mV and an equivalent gating charge of n = 3.9 for activation and V50 = -86.7 mV and n = 3.4 for inactivation. In current-clamp recordings, 4-AP reversibly reduced the cell's normal adaptation by lowering the threshold for action potentials, but did not affect the amplitude or duration of single action potentials. These results indicate that IA plays a role in short-term adaptation by opposing membrane depolarization and reducing the spike frequency during maintained stimulation.

The time course of sensory adaptation in the cockroach tactile spine

Power-law dynamics have been widely used to fit the adaptation of sensory receptors, including the cockroach tactile spine. We used a new log-binning technique to re-examine step responses in the tactile spine. The power-law only fitted responses over a restricted time period, while a sum of three exponential decays gave an accurate fit over the entire response duration.

The Basis of Rapid Adaptation in Mechanoreceptors

Mechanoreceptors often adapt rapidly and completely to a sustained mechanical stimulus. This adaptation is usually assumed to be caused by mechanical structures surrounding sensory endings, but old and new evidence from several preparations indicates that ionic processes in the cell membranes are primarily responsible for such complete adaptation.

Evidence that channels below 1 pS cause the volume-sensitive chloride conductance in T84 cells

The volume-activated chloride current of T84 human colonic cells was studied using the whole-cell patch clamp. The current appeared reliably with a mild osmotic gradient and in the absence of intracellular ATP. It reversed at the chloride equilibrium potential and was blocked by the chloride channel blocker DIDS. Development of the current was accompanied by an increase in the current noise variance, typical of increasing ion channel open probability. Noise variance was always well-fitted by a double Lorentzian relationship with corner frequencies at approximately 1.7 Hz and approximately 60 Hz. The increase in variance during development of the volume-sensitive current was mostly due to an increase in the high frequency component. The relationship between noise variance and membrane current was well-fitted by a relationship with a single channel conductance of approximately 0.2 pS.

Intracellular characterization of identified sensory cells in a new spider mechanoreceptor preparation

1. We have developed an isolated mechanoreceptor-organ preparation in which the intact sensory structures are available for mechanical stimulation and electrical recording. The anterior lyriform slit sense organ on the patella of the spider, Cupiennius salei Keys., consists of seven or eight cuticular slits, each innervated by a pair of large bipolar sensory neurons. The neurons are fusiform, and the largest somata are < or = 120 microns long. The innervation of the organ was characterized by light microscopy of neurons backfilled with neuronal tracers. Intracellular recording was used to measure the passive and active electrical properties of the neurons, in several cases followed by identification with Lucifer yellow injection. Both neurons of each pair from one slit responded with action potentials to depolarization by a step current injection. Approximately half of the sensory neurons adapted very rapidly and generated only one or two action potentials in response to a sustained depolarizing step, while a second group produced a burst of action potentials that adapted to silence in approximately 1 s or less. Recordings from identified neuron pairs indicated that each pair consists of one rapidly adapting and one bursting neuron. Measurements of cell membrane impedances and time constants produced estimates of neuronal size that agreed with the morphological measurements. This new preparation offers the possibility of characterizing the mechanisms underlying transduction and adaptation in primary mechanosensory neurons.

A nonlinear model of step responses in the cockroach tactile spine neuron

Rapid sensory adaptation in the cockroach tactile spine neuron has previously been associated with a labile threshold for action potentials, which changes with the membrane potential by a process involving two time constants. A feed-forward, variable-threshold model has previously been used to account for the frequency response function of the neuron when stimulated with small-signal, white-noise currents. Here, we used a range of accurately controlled steps of extracellular current to stimulate the neuron. The same model was able to predict the individual step responses and could also fit the entire set of step responses from a single neuron if an initial, saturating, static nonlinearity was included. These results indicate that the two-time-constant, variable-threshold model can account for most of the rapidly adapting behavior of the tactile spine neuron.

Mapping extracellular excitability in an insect mechanoreceptor neuron

The cockroach tactile spine contains a single bipolar mechanosensory neuron. Extracellular stimulation of the neuron is possible by cutting the spine and lowering a microelectrode into the lumen, where the neuron is located, but neither the microelectrode nor the neuron can be visualized during stimulation. The threshold for electrical stimulation of the neuron was measured as a function of spatial position in the lumen. The spine was then fixed and serially sectioned for computer-aided reconstruction. Alignment of threshold measurements with reconstructions produced maps of excitability around the neuron. The lowest threshold was always close to the sensory dendrite or the adjacent soma. These results are discussed in terms of models of action potential initiation in this class of sensory neurons.

The dynamic nonlinear behavior of fly photoreceptors evoked by a wide range of light intensities

Fly photoreceptor cells were stimulated with steps of light over a wide intensity range. First- and second-order Volterra kernels were then computed from sequences of combined step responses. Diagonal values of the second-order Volterra kernels were much greater than the off-diagonal values, and the diagonal values were roughly proportional to the corresponding first-order kernels, suggesting that the response could be approximated by a static nonlinearity followed by a dynamic linear component (Hammerstein model). The amplitudes of the second-order kernels were much smaller in light-adapted than in dark-adapted photoreceptors. Hammerstein models constructed from the step input/output measurements gave reasonable approximations to the actual photoreceptor responses, with light-adapted responses being relatively better fitted. However, Hammerstein models could not account for several features of the photoreceptor behavior, including the dependence of the step response shape on step amplitude. A model containing an additional static nonlinearity after the dynamic linear component gave significantly better fits to the data. These results indicate that blowfly photoreceptors have a strong early gain control nonlinearity acting before the processes that create the characteristic time course of the response, in addition to the nonlinearities caused by membrane conductances.

Immunocytochemical localization of sodium channels in an insect central nervous system using a site-directed antibody

Antibodies to channel proteins and specific peptide sequences have been previously used to localize voltage-activated sodium channels in the rat brain. Here we describe the first localization of sodium channels in an insect nervous system using a site-directed antibody. The mesothoracic ganglion of the cockroach was stained with an antibody to the highly conserved SP19 sequence. Antibody labelling was visualized by light microscopy using the avidin/biotin method on wax sections, and transmission electron microscopy of immunogold-labelled thin sections. Central ganglia of insects contain clearly separated regions of cell bodies, synaptic neuropil, axon tracts, and nerves. Antibody staining by light microscopy was limited to neurons, and was intense in axons throughout the ganglion and nerves. Staining was also strong in the cytoplasm, but not the nuclei, of many neuronal cell bodies. Neuropil regions were relatively lightly labelled. These findings can be correlated with the known electrophysiology of the ganglion. Electron microscopy detected sodium channels in areas surrounding axons, probably including axon membranes and enveloping glial cell membranes. Axonal mitochondria were also heavily labelled, suggesting a sodium channel transport function for these organelles.

Cell proliferation in the gastrulating chick embryo: a study using BrdU incorporation and PCNA localization

Cell proliferation in the gastrulating chick embryo was assessed using two independent techniques which mark cells in S phase of the mitotic cycle: nuclear incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) detected immunocytochemically and immunolocalization of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Computer-reconstructed maps were produced showing the distribution of labelled nuclei in the primitive streak and the cell layers. These distributions were also normalized to take into account regional differences in cell density across the embryo. Results from a 2 hour pulse of BrdU indicated that although cells at caudal levels of the primitive streak showed the highest incorporation, this region showed a similar proportion of labelled cells to the surrounding caudal regions of the epiblast and mesoderm when normalized for cell density. The entire caudal third of the embryo showed the highest proportion of cells in S phase. Cells of Hensen's node showed a relatively low rate of incorporation and, although the chordamesoderm cells showed many labelled nuclei, this appeared to be a reflection of a high cell density in this region. Combining this result with results from a 4 hour pulse of BrdU permitted mapping of cell generation time across the entire embryo. Generation times ranged from a low value of approximately 2 hours at caudal levels of both the epiblast and mesoderm, to an upper value of approximately 10 hours in the rostral regions of the primitive streak, in the mid-lateral levels of the epiblast and in the chordamesoderm rostral to Hensen's node. Cells at caudal regions of the primitive streak showed a generation time of approximately 5 hours. Taking into account that cells are generally considered to be continuously moving through the primitive streak, we conclude that cell division, as judged by generation time, is greatly reduced during transit through this region, despite the presence there of cells in S phase and M phase. Immunocytochemical localization of PCNA-positive nuclei gave generally similar distributions to those obtained with BrdU incorporation, confirming that this endogenous molecule is a useful S-phase marker during early embryogenesis. Mid-levels and caudal levels of the primitive streak showed the highest numbers of positive nuclei, and the highest proportion of labelling after cell density was accounted for. As with BrdU incorporation, the highest proportions of PCNA-positive nuclei were found towards the caudal regions of the epiblast and mesoderm. These results suggest that the differential growth of the caudal region of the embryo at this time is a direct consequence of elevated levels of cell proliferation in this region.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)