Summary
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1.
The motor activity of three types of ciliary organelles (compound cilia), membranelles, frontal cirri and marginal cirri, of the hypotrich ciliateStylonychia mytilus was analyzed using high-speed cinematography (250 images/s). The cell membrane was voltage-clamped, and step or ramp voltage pulses were applied to study the relationship between membrane polarization and motor performance in the three ciliary organelles simultaneously.
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2.
At zero current (=resting) potential the membranelles beat at a frequency of around 40 to 45 Hz, while frontal and marginal cirri were quiescent. Positive or negative voltage pulses activated the frontal and marginal cirri, but did not significantly alter the beating frequency of membranelles.
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3.
Hyperpolarization of the membrane induced beating of the frontal and marginal cirri with the power stroke directed towards the cell posterior (‘hyperpolarizing ciliary activation’), while depolarization of the membrane induced beating of the frontal and marginal cirri in the reversed direction (‘depolarizing ciliary activation’).
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4.
The threshold for both hyperpolarizing and depolarizing ciliary activation was higher, and the latency was larger, for the frontal cirri than for the marginal cirri. The maximum frequency attained was smaller in the frontal cirri than in the marginal cirri during hyperpolarization (around 25 Hz versus 35 Hz) as well as during depolarization (around 35 Hz vs 45 Hz).
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5.
Voltage ramps from −20 mV to +20 mV with respect to the holding (= resting) potential, rising at rates of 20 mV/s to 120 mV/s caused very small — if any — transient changes in the beating frequency of the membranelles. Responses to voltage ramps exhibited similar frequency-membrane potential relationships as step pulses: both frontal and marginal cirri had much the same frequency-voltage pattern, although different absolute beating frequencies (see above).
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6.
The performance of the three types of ciliary organelles is discussed in relation to membrane voltage and current. It is concluded that the membranelles have an unidentified mechanism of motor control, while the activity of both frontal and marginal cirri is coupled to the membrane potential, as also suggested inParamecium.
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References
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Deitmer, J.W., Machemer, H. & Martinac, B. Motor control in three types of ciliary organelles in the ciliateStylonychia . J. Comp. Physiol. 154, 113–120 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605396
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605396