Abstract
Electrophysiological parameters were measured at different temperatures in resting and pheromone-stimulated olfactory sensilla trichodea of male Antheraea polyphemus (Saturniidae). A method for selective cooling of either the olfactory hair or the antennal branch was developed.
The resting preparation resistance increased with lower temperatures, the transepithelial potential decreased. These effects were also observed when the antennal branch was cooled, but were absent during cooling the hair, suggesting a major influence of auxiliary cells on the transepithelial potential and resistance. Together with the preparation resistance, the responses to pheromone stimuli increased with lower temperatures.
Computer simulation of the current flow in the sensillum showed that the temperature dependence of responses to pheromone can be explained by modulation of resting resistances of cell membranes alone, without effects of temperature on stimulus transduction. The weak temperature dependence of transepithelial potential might be due to temperature dependence of the electrogenic pump producing the transepithelial potential.
Selective cooling of the olfactory hair had no effect on the shape of nerve impulses, cooling of the antennal branch caused changes similar to that obtained by cooling the entire sensillum. This supports the idea that the nerve impulses are generated in the soma of the receptor cell.
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Abbreviations
- R prep :
-
preparation resistance
- Δ R prep :
-
reduction of R prep during chemical stimulation
- TEP :
-
transepithelial potential
- Δ TEP :
-
receptor-potential amplitude
- t hd :
-
half-time of decline of the receptor potential
- t hr :
-
half-time of rise of the receptor potential
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Kodadová, B., Kaissling, K.E. Effects of temperature on silkmoth olfactory responses to pheromone can be simulated by modulation of resting cell membrane resistances. J Comp Physiol A 179, 15–27 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193431
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193431