Biomaterial Database

Initiation and sensory gating of 'fictive' swimming and withdrawal responses in an in vitro preparation of the lamprey spinal cord. 1983

A D McClellan, and S Grillner

An in vitro preparation has been developed in which the caudal part of the lamprey spinal cord (resting on the notochord) is still innervating the tail fin. Mechanical stimulation of the tail fin elicits ventral root activity that would normally lead to an initial body flexure (tail fin withdrawal) followed by escape swimming. These patterns of ventral root activity are correlated with motor activity and movements elicited by a similar tail fin stimulus in intact and spinal lampreys. The ascending control systems activated by tail fin stimulation consists of long axons which project for at least 20 segments, and are not dependent on propagation through local circuits in the gray matter. Sensory input activated by passive bending of the notochord/spinal cord in the in vitro preparation gates the tail fin withdrawal motor activity, such that tail fin stimulation elicits ventral root bursts on the same side as the direction of bending. This new in vitro preparation survives for several days and will provide new opportunities to study the normal initiation and coordination of two different patterns of behavior, swimming and withdrawal.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007395	Interneurons	Most generally any NEURONS which are not motor or sensory. Interneurons may also refer to neurons whose AXONS remain within a particular brain region in contrast to projection neurons, which have axons projecting to other brain regions.	Intercalated Neurons,Intercalated Neuron,Interneuron,Neuron, Intercalated,Neurons, Intercalated
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
D009068	Movement	The act, process, or result of passing from one place or position to another. It differs from LOCOMOTION in that locomotion is restricted to the passing of the whole body from one place to another, while movement encompasses both locomotion but also a change of the position of the whole body or any of its parts. Movement may be used with reference to humans, vertebrate and invertebrate animals, and microorganisms. Differentiate also from MOTOR ACTIVITY, movement associated with behavior.	Movements
D012018	Reflex	An involuntary movement or exercise of function in a part, excited in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery and transmitted to the brain or spinal cord.
D004576	Electromyography	Recording of the changes in electric potential of muscle by means of surface or needle electrodes.	Electromyogram,Surface Electromyography,Electromyograms,Electromyographies,Electromyographies, Surface,Electromyography, Surface,Surface Electromyographies
D004924	Escape Reaction	Innate response elicited by sensory stimuli associated with a threatening situation, or actual confrontation with an enemy.	Flight Reaction,Escape Reactions,Flight Reactions,Reaction, Escape,Reaction, Flight,Reactions, Escape,Reactions, Flight
D005399	Fishes	A group of cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates having gills, fins, a cartilaginous or bony endoskeleton, and elongated bodies covered with scales.
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
D012677	Sensation	The process in which specialized SENSORY RECEPTOR CELLS transduce peripheral stimuli (physical or chemical) into NERVE IMPULSES which are then transmitted to the various sensory centers in the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Sensory Function,Organoleptic,Function, Sensory,Functions, Sensory,Sensations,Sensory Functions