Biomaterial Database

Fictive locomotion in the lamprey spinal cord in vitro compared with swimming in the intact and spinal animal. 1984

P Wallén, and T L Williams

A comparison has been made of the patterns of muscle activity during swimming in the intact and spinal lamprey, and the patterns of ventral root activity in the in vitro preparation of the lamprey spinal cord. Electromyographic (e.m.g.) activity was recorded with intramuscular bipolar electrodes from three segmental levels in intact lampreys swimming in a swim-mill at a range of swimming speeds. The patterns of activity obtained were similar to those seen in elasmobranch and teleost fish. After high spinal transection, lampreys could be induced to swim continuously for a period of several minutes in the swim-mill by a light initial mechanical stimulation of the tail or dorsal fin. The patterns of e.m.g. activity obtained from spinal animals at a range of swimming speeds were similar to those obtained in the intact state. Portions of spinal cord were isolated encompassing those segments from which e.m.g. recordings had been made and ventral root recordings were made in vitro of the rhythmic activity induced by bath application of D-glutamate. In all experiments the mean duration of the bursts of activity at any segmental level was directly proportional to the mean cycle duration, and the constant of proportionality (about 0.36) was similar for all three types of preparation. In all preparations the mean time delay for the activation of segments in the rostral-caudal direction was proportional to the cycle duration and to the number of segments between recording positions. The proportionality constant, or phase lag per segment, was approximately equal to 0.01 in all three types of preparation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007798	Lampreys	Common name for the only family (Petromyzontidae) of eellike fish in the order Petromyzontiformes. They are jawless but have a sucking mouth with horny teeth.	Eels, Lamprey,Petromyzontidae,Petromyzontiformes,Eel, Lamprey,Lamprey,Lamprey Eel,Lamprey Eels
D008124	Locomotion	Movement or the ability to move from one place or another. It can refer to humans, vertebrate or invertebrate animals, and microorganisms.	Locomotor Activity,Activities, Locomotor,Activity, Locomotor,Locomotor Activities
D009043	Motor Activity	Body movements of a human or an animal as a behavioral phenomenon.	Activities, Motor,Activity, Motor,Motor Activities
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D005399	Fishes	A group of cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates having gills, fins, a cartilaginous or bony endoskeleton, and elongated bodies covered with scales.
D005971	Glutamates	Derivatives of GLUTAMIC ACID. Included under this heading are a broad variety of acid forms, salts, esters, and amides that contain the 2-aminopentanedioic acid structure.	Glutamic Acid Derivatives,Glutamic Acids,Glutaminic Acids
D000200	Action Potentials	Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli.	Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013116	Spinal Cord	A cylindrical column of tissue that lies within the vertebral canal. It is composed of WHITE MATTER and GRAY MATTER.	Coccygeal Cord,Conus Medullaris,Conus Terminalis,Lumbar Cord,Medulla Spinalis,Myelon,Sacral Cord,Thoracic Cord,Coccygeal Cords,Conus Medullari,Conus Terminali,Cord, Coccygeal,Cord, Lumbar,Cord, Sacral,Cord, Spinal,Cord, Thoracic,Cords, Coccygeal,Cords, Lumbar,Cords, Sacral,Cords, Spinal,Cords, Thoracic,Lumbar Cords,Medulla Spinali,Medullari, Conus,Medullaris, Conus,Myelons,Sacral Cords,Spinal Cords,Spinali, Medulla,Spinalis, Medulla,Terminali, Conus,Terminalis, Conus,Thoracic Cords
D013550	Swimming	An activity in which the body is propelled through water by specific movement of the arms and/or the legs. Swimming as propulsion through water by the movement of limbs, tail, or fins of animals is often studied as a form of PHYSICAL EXERTION or endurance.