Visually mediated inhibition of lateral line primary afferent activity by the octavolateralis efferent system during predation in the free-swimming toadfish, Opsanus tau

1990 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T.C. Tricas ◽  
S.M. Highstein
2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola V. Plazas ◽  
Ana Belén Elgoyhen

Vertebrate hair cell (HC) systems are innervated by efferent fibers that modulate their response to external stimuli. In mammals, the best studied efferent-HC synapse, the cholinergic medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent system, makes direct synaptic contacts with HCs. The net effect of MOC activity is to hyperpolarize HCs through the activation of α9α10 nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs) and the subsequent activation of Ca2+-dependent SK2 potassium channels. A serious obstacle in research on many mammalian sensory systems in their native context is that their constituent neurons are difficult to access even in newborn animals, hampering circuit observation, mapping, or controlled manipulation. By contrast, fishes and amphibians have a superficial and accessible mechanosensory system, the lateral line (LL), which circumvents many of these problems. LL responsiveness is modulated by efferent neurons which aid to distinguish between external and self-generated stimuli. One component of the LL efferent system is cholinergic and its activation inhibits LL afferent activity, similar to what has been described for MOC efferents. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a powerful model system for studying human hearing and balance disorders, since LL HC are structurally and functionally analogous to cochlear HCs, but are optically and pharmacologically accessible within an intact specimen. Complementing mammalian studies, zebrafish have been used to gain significant insights into many facets of HC biology, including mechanotransduction and synaptic physiology as well as mechanisms of both hereditary and acquired HC dysfunction. With the rise of the zebrafish LL as a model in which to study auditory system function and disease, there has been an increased interest in studying its efferent system and evaluate the similarity between mammalian and piscine efferent synapses. Advances derived from studies in zebrafish include understanding the effect of the LL efferent system on HC and afferent activity, and revealing that an α9-containing nAChR, functionally coupled to SK channels, operates at the LL efferent synapse. In this review, we discuss the tools and findings of these recent investigations into zebrafish efferent-HC synapse, their commonalities with the mammalian counterpart and discuss several emerging areas for future studies.


2003 ◽  
Vol 205 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Palmer ◽  
B. A. Giuffrida ◽  
A. F. Mensinger

2015 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 657-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Levi ◽  
Otar Akanyeti ◽  
Aleksander Ballo ◽  
James C. Liao

The ability of fishes to detect water flow with the neuromasts of their lateral line system depends on the physiology of afferent neurons as well as the hydrodynamic environment. Using larval zebrafish ( Danio rerio), we measured the basic response properties of primary afferent neurons to mechanical deflections of individual superficial neuromasts. We used two types of stimulation protocols. First, we used sine wave stimulation to characterize the response properties of the afferent neurons. The average frequency-response curve was flat across stimulation frequencies between 0 and 100 Hz, matching the filtering properties of a displacement detector. Spike rate increased asymptotically with frequency, and phase locking was maximal between 10 and 60 Hz. Second, we used pulse train stimulation to analyze the maximum spike rate capabilities. We found that afferent neurons could generate up to 80 spikes/s and could follow a pulse train stimulation rate of up to 40 pulses/s in a reliable and precise manner. Both sine wave and pulse stimulation protocols indicate that an afferent neuron can maintain their evoked activity for longer durations at low stimulation frequencies than at high frequencies. We found one type of afferent neuron based on spontaneous activity patterns and discovered a correlation between the level of spontaneous and evoked activity. Overall, our results establish the baseline response properties of lateral line primary afferent neurons in larval zebrafish, which is a crucial step in understanding how vertebrate mechanoreceptive systems sense and subsequently process information from the environment.


1972 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. ROBERTS ◽  
I. J. RUSSELL

1. The activity of efferent neurones innervating lateral-line organs on the body of dogfish was followed by recording from filaments of cranial nerve X in 41 decerebrate preparations. 2. The efferent nerves were not spontaneously active. 3. Tactile stimulation to the head and body, vestibular stimulation and noxious chemical stimulation were followed by activity of the efferent nerves. 4. In contrast, natural stimulation of lateral-line organs (water jets) did not reflexly evoke discharges from the efferent fibres. 5. Reflex efferent responses were still obtained to mechanical stimulation even after the lateral-line organs had been denervated. 6. Electrical stimulation of cranial nerves innervating lateral-lines organs was followed by reflex activity of the efferent fibres. But similar stimuli applied to other cranial nerves were equally effective in exciting the efferent system. 7. Vigorous movements of the fish, involving the white musculature, were preceded and accompanied by activity of the efferent fibres which persisted as long as the white muscle fibres were contracting. 8. Rhythmical swimming movements were accompanied by a few impulses in the efferent fibres grouped in bursts at the same frequency as the swimming movements. 9. It is concluded that the efferent neurones cannot contribute to a feedback regulatory system because they are not excited by natural stimulation of the lateral-line sense organs. The close correlation found between efferent activity and body movement suggests that the efferent system might operate in a protective manner to prevent the sense organs from being over-stimulated when the fish makes vigorous movements.


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