Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Temperature sensitivity of thermoreceptors and mechanoreceptors on the beak of pigeons

  • Published:
Journal of comparative physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

  1. 1.

    The temperature sensitivity of thermoreceptors and slowly adapting mechanoreceptors in the trigeminal area of pigeons were tested while recording from all three main branches of the trigeminal nerve.

  2. 2.

    Warm receptors were excited by warming and totally inhibited by cooling. During rewarming no overshooting excitation occurred. The impulse frequency increased with increasing temperature; at low temperature the receptors fired in bursts.

  3. 3.

    A special “warm-sensitive” receptor with a regular discharge rate at high skin temperature was totally inhibited by cooling and restored its initial frequency after rewarming without any overshoot. The impulse frequency did not increase with increasing temperature but was constant above a critical skin temperature.

  4. 4.

    Most of the slowly adapting mechanoreceptors had a very regular, rather high impulse frequency (20–50 imp./sec) at constant mechanical stimulus. The impulse frequency decreased during cooling without an excitatory overshoot and increased during warming without an inhibition.

  5. 5.

    Only few slowly adapting mechanoreceptors were excited by cooling and inhibited by warming, a behaviour which is reported for all temperature-sensitive mammalian mechanoreceptors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Botezat, E.: Die Nervenendapparate in den Mundteilen der Vögel und die einheitliche Endigungsweise der peripheren Nerven bei den Wirbeltieren. Z. wiss. Zool.84, 205–360 (1906).

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, H., Terashima, S.-I., Clark, J.: Response properties of slowly adapting mechanoreceptors to temperature stimulation in cats. Brain Res.45, 401–416 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers, M. R., Andres, K. H., Düring, M. v., Iggo, A.: The structure and function of the slowly adapting type II mechanoreceptor in hairy skin. Quart. J. exp. Physiol.57, 417–445 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers, M. R., Iggo, A.: Slowly-adapting cutaneous mechanoreceptors. J. Physiol. (Lond.)192, 26–27 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Duclaux, R., Kenshalo, D. R.: The temperature sensitivity of the type I slowly adapting mechanoreceptors in cats and monkeys. J. Physiol. (Lond.)224, 647–664 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, J. E.: An electrophysiological investigation of the receptor apparatus of the duck's bill. J. Physiol. (Lond.)229, 157–164 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hensel, H.: Classes of receptor units predominantly related to thermal stimuli. Ciba Foundation Symp. Touch, Heat and Pain (ed. De Beuck, A. V. S., and J. Knight). London: J. & A. Churchill Ltd. 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hensel, H., Zotterman, Y.: The response of mechanoreceptors to thermal stimulation. J. Physiol. (Lond.)115, 16–24 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, C. C., McIntyre, A. K.: Properties of cutaneous touch receptors in cat. J. Physiol. (Lond.)153, 88–98 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Iggo, A.: Cutaneous thermoreceptors in primates and subprimates. J. Physiol. (Lond.)200, 403–430 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Iggo, A., Muir, A. R.: The structure and function of a slowly adapting touch corpuscle in hairy skin. J. Physiol. (Lond.)200, 763–796 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenshalo, D. R., Gallegos, E. S.: Multiple temperature-sensitive spots innervated by single nerve fibres. Science158, 1064–1065 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitchell, R. L., Ström, L., Zotterman, Y.: Electrophysiological studies of thermal and taste reception in chickens and pigeons. Acta physiol. scand.46, 133–151 (1959).

    Google Scholar 

  • Necker, B.: Response of trigeminal ganglion neurons to thermal stimulation of the beak in pigeons. J. comp. Physiol.78, 307–314 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Poulos, D. A., Lende, R. A.: Response of trigeminal ganglion neurons to thermal stimulation of oral-facial regions. I. Steady-state response. J. Neurophysiol.33, 508–517 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Poulos, D. A., Lende, R. A.: Response of trigeminal ganglion neurons to thermal stimulation of oral-facial regions. II. Temperature change response. J. Neurophysiol.33, 518–526 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rautenberg, W.: The influence of the skin temperature on the thermoregulatory system of pigeons. J. Physiol. (Paris)63, 396–398 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Witt, I., Hensel, H.: Afferente Impulse aus der Bxtremitätenhaut der Katze bei thermischer und mechanischer Reizung. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol.268, 582–596 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeigler, Ph., Witkovsky, P.: The main sensory trigeminal nucleus in the pigeon: a single-unit analysis. J. comp. Neurol.134, 255–263 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arbeitsgruppe Temperaturregulation, Abteilung für Biologie der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Federal Republic of Germany

    Reinhold Necker

Authors
  1. Reinhold Necker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ra 167 and SFB 114, Bionach).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Necker, R. Temperature sensitivity of thermoreceptors and mechanoreceptors on the beak of pigeons. J. Comp. Physiol. 87, 379–391 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00695271

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00695271

Keywords

Search

Navigation