Vibration-evoked responses from lamellated corpuscles in the legs of kangaroos

Summary

A group of lamellated corpuscles are present in the interosseous region of the legs of macropod marsupials. Structurally, they are similar to, but simpler than the Pacinian corpuscles of eutherian mammals, in having fewer lamellae. Responses of mechanoreceptors with axons coursing in the interosseous nerve were recorded from filaments, containing single functional units, dissected from the sciatic nerve of the wallaby Thylogale billardierii. The receptors were all maximally sensitive to stimuli applied in the interosseous region, where the cluster of lamellated corpuscles is located. Most units had low mechanical thresholds and were sensitive to sinusoidal vibration over a wide range of frequencies. Functional properties generally resembled those of eutherian Pacinian corpuscles, but the marsupial receptors were less rapidly adapting. The afferent nerve fibres conducted at 45 to 60 ms⁻¹, while the diameter of axons in the osmium-stained interosseous nerve ranged between 7.5 and 12 μm. It is suggested that one important function of the receptors might be the detection of ground-borne vibration.