Physiological basis of feeding behavior in Tritonia diomedea. III. Role of depolarizing afterpotentials

The nature and role of the depolarizing afterpotentials (DAPs) of buccal motoneurons of Tritonia diomedea were examined. Neuron B5 exhibits a DAP whose ionic dependence and modifiability by TEA and 4-AP suggest a similarity to the DAP previously described in pleural pacemaker neurons. Reduction of the DAP severely reduces the ability of these neurons to generate bursts of action potentials. Certain other motoneurons (B1 and B6) are reexcited by a slow DAP (SDAP) which appears to be of synaptic origin. It is concluded that DAPs, which are dependent upon motoneuron activity, contribute to the synthesis of motor output by the buccal ganglion.     

Neuronal basis of behavior

In addition to describing behavior in terms of neuronal properties and interconnections, some studies are using these well defined neuronal circuits to see how the circuits interact, how they develop, and how they are modified by experience, hormones and neuromodulators. The ready availability of computers and computational techniques has helped in some efforts, as have improvements in physiological and morphological techniques. The major insights, however, still come from experiments that ask clear and direct questions. This review highlights some of the promising approaches and suggests some general features of how neuronal circuits produce behavior.     

Multiple transmitter neurons in Tritonia. III. Modulation of central pattern generator controlling feeding

Feeding behavior in the gastropod mollusc Tritonia diomedea is controlled by a central pattern generator (CPG) in the buccal ganglia. The medially located, large dorsal white cells (B11) have been shown to contain two small cardioactive peptides (SCPs). A smaller nearby neuron (B12) also appears to contain the SCPs. B11's have also been shown to contain acetylcholine (ACh), whereas B12's do not. We have shown earlier that intracellular stimulation of B11's drives contractions of the foregut. Here we show that intracellular electrical stimulation of B11's also elicits excitation of neurons B5 and stimulates the patterned motor output of the CPG. We showed earlier that B12's also stimulate contractions in the foregut, but they are in the opposite direction from those elicited by B11. We show here that electrical stimulation of B12's inhibits the output of the CPG. We showed earlier that superfusion of the isolated gut with SCPB enhances peristalsis, and here we report that superfusion of the buccal ganglion with SCPB elicits enhanced coordinated motor output from the CPG. The peptide has two effects on the bursting output of motor neurons. It produces an increase in (1) the rate of bursting and (2) the spike frequency during each burst. On the other hand, we reported earlier that ACh applied directly to isolated foregut inhibits ongoing peristalsis. Here we demonstrate that ACh superfusion of the buccal ganglion also inhibits the CPG output. Our evidence supports the view that in addition to stimulating foregut contractility, B11's modulate the output of the swallowing CPG by releasing a peptide from central terminals. We suggest roles for B11, B12, the SCPs, and ACh in controlling both central and peripheral aspects of feeding behavior.     

The escape of Tritonia: dynamics of a neuromuscular control mechanism.

The results of photosynthesis experiments with ¹⁸O labelled water and carbon dioxide are commonly regarded as the strongest arguments for a light-induced water oxidation. In these experiments, however, several sources of error have not been adequately considered. The peculiarities of natural H₂OCO₂ mixtures and their enzymatically enhanced equilibration are discussed. The unequal distribution of the oxygen isotopes is considered. Relevant data are presented on the CO₂ storage in green plant cells and the oxygen burst which is often observed during the beginning of the light period. After the statement of the necessary precautions for isotope experiments data of former measurements of the oxygen isotope discrimination by photosynthetic and respiratory processes are discussed. The data laid down in the literature together with the results of some experiments with deuterated water are taken as disproof of the hypothesis of water oxidation.     

The neuronal basis for consciousness.

Attempting to understand how the brain, as a whole, might be organized seems, for the first time, to be a serious topic of inquiry. One aspect of its neuronal organization that seems particularly central to global function is the rich thalamocortical interconnectivity, and most particularly the reciprocal nature of the thalamocortical neuronal loop function. Moreover, the interaction between the specific and non-specific thalamic loops suggests that rather than a gate into the brain, the thalamus represents a hub from which any site in the cortex can communicate with any other such site or sites. The goal of this paper is to explore the basic assumption that large-scale, temporal coincidence of specific and non-specific thalamic activity generates the functional states that characterize human cognition.     

The mechanism of the type III antifreeze protein action: a computational study

The random network model of water quantitatively describes the different hydration heat capacities of polar and apolar solutes in terms of differential distortions of the water-water hydrogen bonding angle in the first hydration shell. This method of hydration analysis is applied here to study the hydration of the wild type III thermal hysteresis protein from eel pout and three mutations at residue 16. Wild type and one mutant have full activity, the other two mutants have little or no anti-freeze (thermal hysteresis) activity. The analysis reveals significant differences in the hydration structure of the ice-binding site (centered on residue 16) among four proteins. For the A16T and A16Y mutants with reduced activity, polar groups have a typical polar-like hydration. For the wild type and mutant A16C with 100% of the wild type activity, polar groups have unusual, very apolar-like hydration. In the latter case, hydrating water molecules form a more ice-like pattern of hydrogen bonding on the ice-binding face, while in the former case water-water H-bonds are more distorted and more heterogenous. Overall, the binding surface of active protein strongly enhances the water tetrahedral structure, i.e. promotes ice-like hydration. It is concluded that the specific shape, residue size and clustering of both polar/apolar groups are essential for the binding surface to recognize, and preferentially interact with nascent ice crystals forming in liquid water.     

The mechanism of action of lymphokines. IX. The enzymatic basis of hydrogen peroxide production by lymphokine-activated macrophages

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the biochemical basis of the enhanced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production by guinea pig peritoneal macrophages (MP) cultured in lymphokine (LK)-containing medium. The markedly augmented H2O2 generation by these cells, demonstrable by the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed oxidation of phenol red, is distinguished by its lack of dependence on a second stimulus. We demonstrate that H2O2 production is truly spontaneous and is not caused by a stimulant present among the H2O2 assay reagents. The principal candidate for such a role was HRP type II (a mixture of five isoenzymes) that was reported to be capable of eliciting an oxidative burst in MP. Four distinct HRP isoenzymes that were found incapable of provoking an oxidative response were nevertheless adequate for demonstrating H2O2 production by LK-activated MP. Blocking the MP receptor for mannose by the addition of mannan to the assay system resulted in enhanced detection of H2O2 by low concentrations of HRP type II and by three out of four HRP isoenzymes. Treatment of MP with LK-containing medium for 72 hr did not result in a significant change in the activity of cellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) compared with MP cultured for the same length of time in control medium. By using the specific inhibitor of copper, zinc-containing SOD, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), and the universal SOD inhibitor, sodium nitroprusside, we found that the predominant enzyme in guinea pig peritoneal MP is probably manganese-containing SOD. Incubation of LK-activated MP with nitroprusside resulted in almost total inhibition of H2O2 production and a simultaneous switch to superoxide (O2-) liberation. Similar exposure to DDC had no effect. These data indicate that H2O2 produced by LK-activated MP is derived exclusively by enzymatic dismutation of O2- mediated by a manganese-containing SOD. The increase in spontaneous H2O2 production induced by LK is therefore secondary to augmented O2- production that occurs at a cellular location where O2- is accessible to SOD. The enzymatic basis of the enhanced oxygen radical production was investigated by determining the kinetic parameters of the O2- -forming NADPH oxidase of resting LK-treated MP in a cellfree system in which O-2 production was induced by sodium dodecyl sulfate. The Km for NADPH and the Vmax of the enzyme of LK-treated MP were not different from those of the enzyme of MP incubated in control medium. We conclude that LK treatment of MP does not modulate the NADPH oxidase itself but, most likely, a process related to activation of the enzyme.