Summary
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1.
The stylets of the blood-sucking bugTriatoma infestans are innervated by mechanoreceptors. The dimensions of the dendrite in one of the three receptor cells of the right maxillary stylet were evaluated: it was about 10 mm long and 0.8 μm in diameter.
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2.
Following repetitive brief mechanical stimulation of the tip of the stylet, impulses were recorded from the sensory nerve. The delay between the stimulation and the first propagated potential was about 9 msec.
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3.
Responses of the nerve are also obtained by means of mechanical stimulation from different parts of the stylet.
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4.
It was not possible to record spikes or receptor potential with the aid of a micropipette brought in contact with the intact or sectioned tip of the stylet.
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5.
The length of the maxillary nerve (2 mm) permitted the application of antidromic stimulation, and ruled out local emission of impulses and all-or-nothing propagation of impulses in the dendrite.
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6.
Electrotonic transmission of a receptor potential is possible if we admit that the resistance of the dendrite alone or of the dendrite with its cuticular sheath is very high.
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Les auteurs remercient le Dr. Y. Pichon et J. C. Guillet pour les critiques et suggestions qu'ils ont bien voulu leur faire, et Mme J. Le Guen pour sa collaboration technique.
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Bernard, J., Pinet, J.M. Origine des potentiels propagés dans un mécanorécepteur à dendrite longue. J. Comp. Physiol. 87, 361–377 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00695270
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00695270