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Morphological Study of the Infrared Sensory Pits of Pit Viper, Python and Boa Snakes

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Biomimetics and Bionic Applications with Clinical Applications

Part of the book series: Series in BioEngineering ((SERBIOENG))

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Abstract

Different families of snakes possess specialized infrared sensory organs which have evolved for thermoregulation as well as prey and predator detection. The sensor, a specialized “pore” found in the keratinized epidermal layer, is activated by infrared thermal radiation and transmits signals via the neuronal system through the trigeminal nerve. Here we present findings from anatomical and physiological studies of the infrared sensor of pit viper, python and boa using histology, optical coherence tomography, laser microdissection and capillary electrophoresis to identify and characterize a lipoprotein and its important role during sensor activation. Furthermore, the mechanism for signal detection and enhancement as well as reduction of background noise was simulated using neural network analysis based on the findings from histology. A high density of free nerve endings and multiple neural (i.e. dendrite) connections in the sensor organ are crucial for signal detection and processing and work as a filter to overcome background noise.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Carlos Ramirez for the preparation of the sections for this study. We are grateful to Mona F. Melhem, MD for help with the histology. The laser microdissection was performed under Dr. Tatiania Krasiva (LAMMP facility supported by the NIH under grant from the National Center for Research Resources # P41RR01192).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany

    Birgit Weyand, Kerstin Reimers & Peter Vogt

  2. Biomimetics Technologies Inc, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Meir Israelowitz, Syed W. H. Rizvi, Chistoph Gille & Herbert P. von Schroeder

  3. Technical University, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany

    Matthias Reuter & Sabine Bohlmann

  4. Medical School University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Robert Wagner

  5. University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Herbert P. von Schroeder

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  1. Birgit Weyand
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Correspondence to Birgit Weyand .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Biomimetics Technologies Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada

    Meir Israelowitz

  2. Abteilung für Plastische und Handchirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany

    Birgit Weyand

  3. University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Herbert P. von Schroeder

  4. Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany

    Peter Vogt

  5. Technical University, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Niedersachsen, Germany

    Matthias Reuter

  6. (Deceased), Hannover, Germany

    Kerstin Reimers

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Weyand, B. et al. (2021). Morphological Study of the Infrared Sensory Pits of Pit Viper, Python and Boa Snakes. In: Israelowitz, M., Weyand, B., von Schroeder, H., Vogt, P., Reuter, M., Reimers, K. (eds) Biomimetics and Bionic Applications with Clinical Applications. Series in BioEngineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53214-1_7

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