Freeze-fracture study of the lateral-line canal organ of the Japanese sea eel,Lincozymba nystromi

Summary Specializations of apical surfaces of hair cells, supporting cells and marginal cells in the lateral-line canal organ of Japanese sea eel, Lincozymba nystromi, were examined with a freeze-fracture technique. Apical surfaces of hair cells have a lower density of intramembrane particles (IMP) than those of the surrounding supporting cells. Density of IMP on the streocilia is almost the same as that on the apical surface of hair cells. Junctions between hair and supporting cells were tighter than those between two supporting cells; those between supporting and marginal cells were tighter than those between hair and supporting cells, and those between two marginal cells were the tightest in the lateral-line canal organ.     

Efferent neurons of the lateral-line system and the VIII cranial nerve in the brainstem of anurans

Summary The octavo-lateral efferent system of several anuran species was studied by means of retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. This system is organized similarly in all larval anurans and in all adult aglossids. All have two groups of efferent neurons in the nucleus reticularis medialis between the VIIIth and the IXth motor nucleus. The caudal group consists of efferent neurons that supply the posterior lateral-line nerve (NLLp) and a considerably smaller group of neurons supplying both the NLLp and the anterior lateral-line nerve (NLLa). The rostral group is composed of efferent neurons supplying the NLLa, neurons projecting to the inner ear and neurons supplying both the inner ear and the NLLa. Efferent neurons of the VIIIth cranial nerve exhibit a rostrocaudal cytoarchitectonic differentiation. Caudal perikarya, which are rounder in shape than those of the rostral part, have a dendritic projection to the superior olive. It is suggested that this differentiation reflects a functional differentiation of acoustic and vestibular efferent neurons.Labeled neurons were ipsilateral to the site of application of HRP. None were found in the vestibular nuclei or in the cerebellum.Efferent axons projecting to neuromasts of the NLLa leave the medulla with the VIIth nerve, axons projecting to neuromasts of the NLLp exit via the IXth nerve. Cell counts and the observation of axonal branching revealed that efferent units of both the lateral-line and the VIIIth-nerve system supply more than one receptor organ. In contrast to the lateral-line system, dendrites of efferent neurons of the VIIIth nerve project dorsally onto its nuclei, and afferents of the VIIIth nerve project onto efferent neurons. These structures most probably represent a feedback loop between the afferent and efferent systems of the VIIIth cranial nerve.     

Fine structure of the lateral-line organ of the common eel,Anguilla japonica

Summary The sensory epithelium of the lateral line organ of the common eel consists of two types of cells, (sensory and supporting). The sensory cell bears a kinocilium together with about 40 to 60 stereocilia on its surface. The kinocilium is situated either at rostral or at caudal margin of this cilial group. Such polarity of the cilial group of one cell is inverse to that of an adjacent cell.Two types of crystal-like inclusions exist in the sensory cells, consisting of granules 100 Å in diameter. Granules in one type are arranged regularly whereas those in the other rather irregularly.Two types of nerve endings exist at the base of sensory cells: one is predominant in number and contains few vesicles, accompanied by a dense spherical body surrounded by small vesicles in the sensory cell and the other is rare in number and contains many vesicles, accompanied by a small flat sac just beneath the plasma membrane of the sensory cell.The supporting cells contain numerous mitochondria, a well developed Golgi apparatus and rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum, and surround a sensory cell completely. Physiologic significance of some of these components is discussed.     

Morphological,histochemical, and ultrastructural characterization of the accessory cells of neuromasts in the salamander Pleurodeles waltlii

Summary The ultrastructural and histochemical features of the accessory cells of the neuromast of the salamander P. waltlii have been examined. Three types of accessory cells, supporting, mantle, and basal, were found, but only the first 2 are considered in this article. Supporting cells characterized by a highly dilated endoplasmic reticulum occur among and surrounding sensory cells. Mantle cells, morphologically different from the supporting cells, surround the remainder of the neuromast. Both types of accessory cells exhibit histochemically different secretory materials. Our morphological results suggest that both accessory cells contribute to the formation of cupular material.     

Phylogenetic trends in the abundance and distribution of pit organs of elasmobranchs

Pit organs (free neuromasts of the mechanosensory lateral line system) are distributed over the skin of elasmobranchs. To investigate phylogenetic trends in the distribution and abundance of pit organs, 12 relevant morphological characters were added to an existing matrix of morphological data (plus two additional end terminals), which was then re-analysed using cladistic parsimony methods ( paup * 4.0b10). Character transformations were traced onto the most parsimonious phylogenetic trees. The results suggest the following interpretations. First, the distinctive overlapping denticles covering the pit organs in many sharks are a derived feature; plesiomorphic elasmobranchs have pit organs in open slits, with widely spaced accessory denticles. Second, the number of pit organs on the ventral surface of rays has been reduced during evolution, and third, spiracular pit organs have changed position or have been lost on several occasions in elasmobranch evolution. The concentrated-changes test in macclade (version 4.05) was used to investigate the association between a pelagic lifestyle and loss of spiracular pit organs (the only character transformation that occurred more than once within pelagic taxa). Depending on the choice of tree, the association was either nonsignificant at P  = 0.06 or significant at P  < 0.05. Future studies, using species within more restricted elasmobranch clades, are needed to resolve this issue.     

Calling song recognition in the cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus: comparison of the effects of stimulus intensity and sound spectrum on selectivity for temporal pattern

The turning response to surface waves of clawed toads (Xenopus laevis) with an inactivated lateral line was reinvestigated to examine whether sensory systems other than the lateral line (second systems) are involved. Two methods were used to block the lateral line input: selective and reversible inactivation of the lateral line periphery using CoCl₂ or chronic destruction with thermocautery. The time-course of the response recovery (response frequency, turning accuracy and reaction time) was recorded. Following CoCl₂ inactivation 10 out of 13 animals did not respond to surface waves for at least 2 days. The remaining 3 animals gave sporadic turning responses. It is assumed that in these individuals a second system is permanently involved in the detection of surface waves parallel to the lateral line. Five days after the chronic destruction of the lateral line all animals again turned to the centre of surface waves. It is suggested that by this time the second system had become capable of substituting for the missing lateral line input. The response frequency and the accuracy of the turning response of lesioned animals varied considerably among individuals but was always lower than in untreated animals (tested up to 120 days).Abbreviation LED light emitting diode     

The valvula cerebelli of the spiny eel,Macrognathus aculeatus,receives primary lateral-line afferents from the rostrum of the upper jaw

Summary In the spiny eel, Macrognathus aculeatus, anterodorsal and (to a lesser degree) anteroventral lateralline nerves project massively to the granular layer of the valvula cerebelli, throughout its rostrocaudal extent. The posterior lateral-line nerve terminates in the corpus cerebelli. Thus, valvula and corpus cerebelli are supplied with mechanosensory input of different peripheral origins. An analysis of the taxonomic distribution of experimentally determined primary lateral-line input to the three parts of the teleostean cerebellum reveals that the eminentia granularis always receives such input, and that the corpus cerebelli is the recipient of primary lateral-line input in many teleosts. The valvula, however, receives primary lateral-line afferents in only two examined species. In M. aculeatus, the massive lateral-line input to the valvula probably originates in mechanoreceptors located in the elongated rostrum of the upper jaw, a characteristic feature of mastacembeloid fishes. This projection to the valvula may therefore represent a unique specialization that arose with the evolution of the peculiar rostrum.     

The pattern of lateral-line afferents in urodeles

Summary The organization of posterior and anterior afferents of the lateralline system was studied in several species of urodeles by means of transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase. The afferents of each lateral-line nerve form distinct fascicles in the medullary alar plate. Each of the two branches of the anterior lateral-line nerve is organized in two long and one short fascicles. The posterior lateral-line afferents form only two long fascicles. Each ordinary neuromast is supplied by only two afferents, which run in the two ventral medullary fiber bundles. It is suggested that afferents to hair cells displaying one type of polarity form together one bundle, but those contacting hair cells polarized in the opposite way form the second ventral bundle of one lateral-line branch. Thus, the lateral-line afferents may be organized in a directotopic fashion.The short dorsal fascicle formed only by the anterior lateral-line afferents receives fibers exclusively from small pit organs. Each pit organ is supplied by only one afferent. Anatomically, these pit organs resemble in many respects the electroreceptive ampullary organs of certain fish.Neurons labeled retrogradely via the anterior lateral-line nerve afferents have been attributed to the nervus trigeminus or facialis. In addition to the posterior lateral-line afferents, only few centrifugally projecting neurons were labeled. These neurons are discussed as efferents to the posterior lateral-line neuromasts.     

中国大鲵侧线器官的研究

本文以光镜和扫描是镜手段研究了中国大鲵幼体，亚成体及成体头部及躯干部表皮中的侧线器官，即电接受壶腹器官，机械接受的表面神经丘和陷器官的分布，形态和发展变化。壶腹器管仅存于幼体头部，变态结束后消失，后两种终生存在，但前者按一定路线和方向排列，后者仅存于头部，陷在表皮中，文章探讨了壶腹器官的原始性，其消失与生活习性以及由水登陆进化的关系；对三种器官的形态及其它有尾类的侧线器官进行了比较。