scholarly journals A dual synaptic effect on hair cells in Hermissenda.

1975 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
D L Alkon
Keyword(s):  
Type A ◽  

Type A photorecptors can produce an initial hyperpolarizing wave followed by a delayed long-lasting increase in firing which is usually accompanied by a small depolarizing wave. The initial hyperpolarizing wave arises from an increase in conductance while the depolarizing wave was shown to arise from a decrease in conductance. The data presented indicate that both effects produced by the type A photoreceptors in ipsilateral hair cells are synaptic.

1979 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheuk W. Li ◽  
Edwin R. Lewis

Structure and development of hair cells in vestibular sensory organs of the larval bullfrog were examined with scanning electron microscopy. The larval vestibular sensory epithelia resembled those of the adult frog. Based on morphology of the ciliary tufts, seven hair cell types were identified. One of them, the type A hair cell, appears to be the morphogenetic precursor of other hair cell types. The size of the stereocilia of type A hair cells is comparable to the surrounding microvilli. The distribution of immature type A hair cells suggests that the periphery of the sensory epithelia is the principal growth zone and the site of formation of new hair cells. However, a far greater number of type A hair cells were found in high frequency sensitive sensory organs (sacculus, amphibian and basilar papillae) than low frequency sensitive vestibular sensory structures (canal cristae, utriculus and lagena). This phenomenon may suggest that the time period required for the maturation of type A hair cells to their ultimate hair cell types in the low frequency sensitive vestibular organs is shorter than in the high frequency sensory structures. It is also possible that the low frequency sensitive vestibular organs may have completed their morphogenetic development in the early larval stages, while morphogenesis of hair cells in the high frequency sensory structures continues throughout the lifetime of a bullfrog.


1984 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Goh ◽  
D. L. Alkon

The visual pathway of Hermissenda was identified by means of intracellular recordings and iontophoretic injection of the fluorescent dye lucifer yellow. This pathway consisted of five neuron types, namely, type B photoreceptors and the medial type A photoreceptor within each of the two eyes, hair cells in the two statocysts, a group of interneurons in the cerebropleural ganglia, and a putative motor neuron (MN1) in each pedal ganglion. The MN1 cells responded during illumination of the eye with increased impulse and excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) activity. This response was often followed by bursting activity for higher light intensities. The medial type A photoreceptor, which was found to be inhibited by medial and intermediate type B photoreceptors, was demonstrated to excite the MN1 cell indirectly via a group of identified interneurons. Hair cells were also found to excite the MN1 cell indirectly via these interneurons. Among the ipsilateral hair cells, cephalic hair cells were least frequently found to excite the MN1 cell. Among the contralateral hair cells, on the other hand, lateral hair cells were most often found to excite the MN1 cell. Interneurons that were shown to excite the MN1 cell received excitatory input from the medial type A photoreceptor and hair cells. Our observations are consistent with the interpretation that these interactions are mediated by monosynaptic chemical synapses. Electrical stimulation of the MN1 cell with positive-current injection produced turning of the posterior half of the animal's foot to the ipsilateral direction consistent with the animal's turning behavior toward light. The visual pathway identified in this experiment was considered to have some significance in explaining, at least in part, a causal role for changes within type B photoreceptors in producing Hermissenda's modified behavior following associative conditioning.


1978 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 640-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Alkon ◽  
Y. Grossman

1. Evidence is presented that synaptic interactions within and between the statocyst and visual pathways of Hermissenda are eliminated after 0.5-4 min exposure to 20-40 mM Co2+. 2. Synaptic blockade was also produced by perfusion with low Ca2+ (5mM) plus 10-20 mM Co2+. 3. Depolarization of hair cells by impulses of type A photoreceptors remains after the same exposure to Co2+, or low Ca2+ plus Co2+. 4. The increased resistance previously observed during this depolarization of hair cells cannot be observed after exposure to Co2+. 5. The depolarization which remains after exposure to Co2+ did not change with different levels of membrane potential from -20 mV below to +10 mV above the resting level. 6. The time course of potassium accumulation, monitored by the amplitude of the type A impulse afterpotential, closely followed the time course of hair cell depolarization and also of changes in the amplitude of the hair cell afterpotential. 7. The depolarization of hair cells by type A impulses decreased with increased extracellular potassium, but was only slightly reduced by lowered extracellular potassium. 8. The amount of potassium accumulation following a type A impulse train could be estimated from the effects of changes in extracellular potassium in the perfusate on the type A impulse afterpotential. From this extimated increase of extracellular potassium it was possible to predict with some accuracy, the observed hair cell depolarization. 9. Although type A cells are not electrically coupled to ipsilateral hair cells, firing of these hair cells slightly depolarized the type A photoreceptor which excites them. 10. Strophanthidin (10-4 M) did not block the depolarization of hair cells by type A impulses. 11. The data are evidence for nonsynaptic excitation of hair cells by type A photoreceptor impulses. The data are also consistent with the interpretation that the excitation arises from potassium accumulation around the type A and hair cell axonal membranes.


Author(s):  
S. Fujinaga ◽  
K. Maruyama ◽  
C.W. Williams ◽  
K. Sekhri ◽  
L. Dmochowski

Yumoto and Dmochowski (Cancer Res.27, 2098 (1967)) reported the presence of mature and immature type C leukemia virus particles in leukemic organs and tissues such as lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, liver, and kidneys of SJL/J strain mice with Hodgki's-like disease or reticulum cell neoplasm (type B). In an attempt to ascertain the possibility that this neoplasia may be of viral origin, experiments with induction and transmission of this neoplasm were carried out using cell-free extracts of leukemic organs from an SJL/J strain mouse with spontaneous disease.It has been possible to induce the disease in low-leukemia BALB/c and C3HZB strain mice and serially transfer the neoplasia by cell-free extracts of leukemic organs of these mice. Histological examination revealed the neoplasia to be of either reticulum cell-type A or type B. Serial transfer is now in its fifth passage. In addition leukemic spleen from another SJL/J strain mouse with spontaneous reticulum cell neoplasm (type A) was set up in tissue culture and is now in its 141st serial passage in vitro. Preliminary results indicate that cell-free material of 39th tissue culture passage can reproduce neoplasia in BALB/c mice.


Author(s):  
D.R. Jackson ◽  
J.H. Hoofnagle ◽  
A.N. Schulman ◽  
J.L. Dienstag ◽  
R.H. Purcell ◽  
...  

Using immune electron microscopy Feinstone et. al. demonstrated the presence of a 27 nm virus-like particle in acute-phase stools of patients with viral hepatitis, type A, These hepatitis A antigen (HA Ag) particles were aggregated by convalescent serum from patients with type A hepatitis but not by pre-infection serum. Subsequently Dienstag et. al. and Maynard et. al. produced acute hepatitis in chimpanzees by inoculation with human stool containing HA Ag. During the early acute disease, virus like particles antigenically, morphologically and biophysically identical to the human HA Ag particle were found in chimpanzee stool. Recently Hilleman et. al. have described similar particles in liver and serum of marmosets infected with hepatitis A virus (HAV). We have investigated liver, bile and stool from chimpanzees and marmosets experimentally infected with HAV. In an initial study, a chimpanzee (no.785) inoculated with HA Ag-containing stool developed elevated liver enzymes 21 days after exposure.


Author(s):  
Y. Ohtsuki ◽  
G. Seman ◽  
J. M. Bowen ◽  
M. Scanlon ◽  
L. Dmochowski

Recently, periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde (PLP) fixation was reported for immunoelectron microscopy (1). In PLP fixation, carbohydrates are oxidized by periodate and cross-linked by lysine; paraformaldehyde stabilizes proteins and lipids. By using PLP fixation, intracytoplasmic type A viral antigens have been previously demonstrated by immunoperoxidase labeling (2). In the present study, PLP fixation has been applied for the detection of the same antigens in mouse mammary tumor culture cells by both immunoferritin and immunoperoxidase methods. Rabbit anti-intracytoplasmic type A virus serum (anti-A), kindly provided by Dr. M. Muller (3), rabbit anti-strain A mouse mammary tumor virus (anti-MMTV) and preimmune rabbit serum as control were used to detect viral antigens in cells of C3H/HeJ strain mouse mammary tumor culture. Attempts have been also made to demonstrate peroxidase labeling of type C virus particles in frozen sections of an SD-MSV-induced NZB rat bone tumor tissue by rabbit anti-MuLV serum.


Author(s):  
G.J. Spector ◽  
C.D. Carr ◽  
I. Kaufman Arenberg ◽  
R.H. Maisel

All studies on primary neural degeneration in the cochlea have evaluated the end stages of degeneration or the indiscriminate destruction of both sensory cells and cochlear neurons. We have developed a model which selectively simulates the dystrophic changes denoting cochlear neural degeneration while sparing the cochlear hair cells. Such a model can be used to define more precisely the mechanism of presbycusis or the hearing loss in aging man.Twenty-two pigmented guinea pigs (200-250 gm) were perfused by the perilymphatic route as live preparations using fluorocitrate in various concentrations (15-250 ug/cc) and at different incubation times (5-150 minutes). The barium salt of DL fluorocitrate, (C6H4O7F)2Ba3, was reacted with 1.0N sulfuric acid to precipitate the barium as a sulfate. The perfusion medium was prepared, just prior to use, as follows: sodium phosphate buffer 0.2M, pH 7.4 = 9cc; fluorocitrate = 15-200 mg/cc; and sucrose = 0.2M.


Author(s):  
W.R. Jones ◽  
S. Coombs ◽  
J. Janssen

The lateral line system of the mottled sculpin, like that of most bony fish, has both canal (CNM) and superficial (SNM) sensory end organs, neuromasts, which are distributed on the head and trunk in discrete, readily identifiable groupings (Fig. 1). CNM and SNM differ grossly in location and in overall size and shape. The former are located in subdermal canals and are larger and asymmetric in shape, The latter are located directly on the surface of the skin and are much smaller and more symmetrical It has been suggested that the two may differ at a more fundamental level in such functionally related parameters as extent of myelination of innervating fibers and the absence of efferent innervation in SNM. The present study addresses the validity of these last two features as distinguishing criteria by examining the structure of those SNM populations indicated in Fig. 1 at both the light and electron microscopic levels.All of the populations of SNM examined conform in general to previously published descriptions, consisting of a neuroepithelium composed of sensory hair cells, support cells and mantle cells, Several significant differences from these accounts have, however, emerged. Firstly, the structural composition of the innervating fibers is heterogeneous with respect to the extent of myelination. All SNM groups, with the possible exception of the TRrs and CFLs, possess both myelinated and unmyelinated fibers within the neuroepithelium proper (Fig. 2), just as do CNM. The extent of myelina- tion is quite variable, with some fibers sheath terminating just before crossing the neuroepithelial basal lamina, some just after and a few retaining their myelination all the way to the base of the hair cells in the upper third of the neuroepithelium. Secondly, all SNMs possess fibers that may, on the basis of ultrastructural criteria, be identified as efferent. Such fibers contained numerous cytoplasmic vesicles, both clear and with dense cores. In regions where such fibers closely apposed hair cells, subsynaptic cisternae were observed in the hair cell (Fig. 3).


Author(s):  
Zhixian Wang ◽  
Pinjin Zhu ◽  
Jianhe Sun ◽  
Xuezheng Song

Hearing research is important not only for clinical, professional and military medicine, but also for toxicology, gerontology and genetics. Ultrastructure of the cochlea attracts much attention of electron microscopists, (1―3) but the research lags far behind that of the other parts of the organnism. On the basis of careful microdissection, technical improvment and accurate observation, we have got some new findings which have not been reported in the literature.We collected four cochleas from human corpses. Temporal bones dissected 1 h after death and cochleas perfused with fixatives 4 h after death were good enough in terms of preservation of fine structures. SEM:The apical surface of OHCs (Outer hair cells) and DTs (Deiters cells) is narrower than that of IPs (Inner pillar cells). The mosaic configuration of the reticular membrane is not typical. The stereocilia of IHCs (Inner hair cells) are not uniform and some kinocilia could be seen on the OHCs in adults. The epithelial surface of RM (Reissner’s membrane) is not smooth and no mesh could be seen on the mesothelial surface of RM. TEM.


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