Showing posts with label fly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fly. Show all posts

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Neural Control of Heartbeat and Respiration in Crustaceans and Insects

Crustaceans and insects, having evolved from a common ancestor, developed distinct respiratory and circulatory systems as they adapted to various habitats throughout their evolutionary history. Crustaceans, which breathe through gills, use their circulatory system to supply oxygen to the entire body, similar to us vertebrates. In contrast, insects, having evolved the tracheal system, have freed their circulatory system from the role of oxygen transport, allowing it to regulate hemolymph pressure and distribute body heat. This post describes how the rhythmic muscular movements involved in respiration and circulation are produced, controlled, and coordinated in these two groups of animals.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Homeostatic Control of Neural Function: From Phenomenology to Molecular Design

Grae Davis gave a Brains and Behavior talk entitled, "Homeostatic Control of Neural Function: From Phenomenology to Molecular Design".

He talked about homeostasis of the transmitter release that compensates reduced sensitivity or motoneuronal innervation of the postsynaptic muscle. If postsynaptic GluR was blocked by a toxin, the frequency of mEPSC increases and the size of EPSP recovers in 10 min. This was shown also by some mutants.

This recovery of EPSP amplitude is activity-independent. It seems like that the muscle is sensing the tonic release of transmitter from the presynaptic terminals, and release some retrograde messenger that regulates the transmitter release.

One candidate was called ephrins and Eph receptor.