1
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du Toit CJ, Bond AL, Cunningham SJ, Field DJ, Portugal SJ. Tactile bill-tip organs in seabirds suggest conservation of a deep avian symplesiomorphy. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20240259. [PMID: 39288817 PMCID: PMC11407862 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Birds' bills are their main tactile interface with the outside world. Tactile bill-tip organs associated with specialized foraging techniques are present in several bird groups, yet remain understudied in most clades. One example is Austrodyptornithes, the major seabird clade uniting Procellariiformes (albatrosses and petrels) and Sphenisciformes (penguins). Here, we describe the mechanoreceptor arrangement and neurovascular anatomy in the premaxillae of Austrodyptornithes. Using a wide phylogenetic sample of extant birds (361 species), we show that albatrosses and penguins exhibit complex tactile bill-tip anatomies, comparable to birds with known bill-tip organs, despite not being known to use tactile foraging. Petrels (Procellariidae, Hydrobatidae and Oceanitidae) lack these morphologies, indicating an evolutionary transition in bill-tip mechanosensitivity within Procellariiformes. The bill-tip organ in Austrodyptornithes may be functionally related to nocturnal foraging and prey detection under water, or courtship displays involving tactile stimulation of the bill. Alternatively, these organs may be vestigial as is likely the case in most palaeognaths (e.g. ostriches and emu). Ancestral state reconstructions fail to reject the hypothesis that the last common ancestor of Austrodyptornithes had a bill-tip organ; thus, tactile foraging may be ancestral for this major extant clade, perhaps retained from a deeper point in crown bird evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla J. du Toit
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EQ, UK
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch7700, South Africa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch7700, South Africa
| | - Alexander L. Bond
- Bird Group, Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, HertfordshireHP23 6AP, UK
| | - Susan J. Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch7700, South Africa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch7700, South Africa
| | - Daniel J. Field
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EQ, UK
- University Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Steven J. Portugal
- Bird Group, Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, HertfordshireHP23 6AP, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, SurreyTW20 0EX, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, UK
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2
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El-Nahass EES, Elwan MM. Comparative histological and ultrastructural features of the tongue of the mallard domestic duck, Anas platyrhynchos f. domestica, Anatidae (Linnaeus, 1758) in different two age stages (post-hatching [P2] and adult female) captured from Egypt. Microsc Res Tech 2024; 87:1183-1200. [PMID: 38289084 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The domestic duck is classified as a specialist filter-feeder bird living in the water. These birds also use grazing and pecking as terrestrial feeding methods. The tongues of domestic ducks, similar to those of other Anseriformes, exhibit numerous types and shapes of mechanical papillae that serve a number of purposes when collecting food. The current study attempts to describe the morphological characteristics of the tongue as well as the mechanical papillae's development. In addition, the study aims to determine whether the papillae observed post-hatching (P2) exhibit similar morphology to those found in adult female avian species, as well as to investigate the readiness of the tongue to fulfill its feeding function following hatching. The comprehensive examination of lingual mucosa is examined about the structural modifications necessary for this variety of feeding activities. In this study, the tongues of nine young (P2) and adult female were used. The tongue had three distinct parts: the apex, which had a lingual nail on its ventral surface; the body, which exhibits numerous small and large conical papillae on its lateral sides and a lingual prominence in the caudal region; and the root, which is covered with numerous conical papillae of varying sizes. Conical, filiform, and hair-like mechanical papillae, the three types of food filtration apparatus, are present in both stages. The intraoral transfer involves several structures, including the median groove, lingual combs, and the rostral border of the lingual prominence. The rostral border of the lingual prominence is characterized by distinct rows of conical papillae. The histological analysis demonstrated the presence of both keratinized and nonkeratinized epithelium on different tongue regions. The lingual salivary glands in the rostral and caudal lingual salivary glands exhibit a pronounced periodic acid-Schiff-positive reaction. Additionally, the yellow adipose tissue and sensory receptors, namely the Grandry and Herbst corpuscles, which collectively form the bill-tongue organ that monitors the movement of food. These results conclude the presence of microstructural species-specific alterations in specific tongue areas of domestic ducks' lingual mucosa. These modifications are formed by the filtering mechanism and terrestrial feeding mechanisms, such as grazing or pecking. Following hatching, the tongue of the domestic duck undergoes significant development, primarily in preparation for grazing activities. The anatomical and histological structure of the young (P2) tongue exhibited similarities to that of the adult female domestic duck while also displaying certain variations that could potentially be attributed to the bird's habitat and mode of feeding. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The results of this study concluded that the domestic duck exhibit a complex tongue structure characterized by the arrangement and morphology of its mechanical papillae, the presence of the lingual prominence with distinctive shape and the lingual comb. These features are believed to be adaptations that enable the duck to actively and efficiently filter food particles from water, serving as its primary feeding mechanism. Additionally, the tongue of domestic ducks is specifically adapted to facilitate various terrestrial activities, such as grazing and pecking. This adaptation is achieved through the presence of conical papillae and a lingual nail. These investigations facilitate our comprehension of both the anatomical and histological characteristics of the domestic duck tongue, as well as enhance our understanding of bird adaptations to various feeding mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mona M Elwan
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
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3
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Logan DR, Hall J, Bianchi L. A helping hand: roles for accessory cells in the sense of touch across species. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1367476. [PMID: 38433863 PMCID: PMC10904576 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1367476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
During touch, mechanical forces are converted into electrochemical signals by tactile organs made of neurons, accessory cells, and their shared extracellular spaces. Accessory cells, including Merkel cells, keratinocytes, lamellar cells, and glia, play an important role in the sensation of touch. In some cases, these cells are intrinsically mechanosensitive; however, other roles include the release of chemical messengers, the chemical modification of spaces that are shared with neurons, and the tuning of neural sensitivity by direct physical contact. Despite great progress in the last decade, the precise roles of these cells in the sense of touch remains unclear. Here we review the known and hypothesized contributions of several accessory cells to touch by incorporating research from multiple organisms including C. elegans, D. melanogaster, mammals, avian models, and plants. Several broad parallels are identified including the regulation of extracellular ions and the release of neuromodulators by accessory cells, as well as the emerging potential physical contact between accessory cells and sensory neurons via tethers. Our broader perspective incorporates the importance of accessory cells to the understanding of human touch and pain, as well as to animal touch and its molecular underpinnings, which are underrepresented among the animal welfare literature. A greater understanding of touch, which must include a role for accessory cells, is also relevant to emergent technical applications including prosthetics, virtual reality, and robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laura Bianchi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
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4
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Louryan S, Choa-Duterre M, Lejong M, Vanmuylder N. Are birds pseudoteeth and denticulations related to touch papilla? An investigation in parrot, goose, and chicken. Morphologie 2023; 107:238-251. [PMID: 36481220 DOI: 10.1016/j.morpho.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
We first studied the morphology and the development of goose denticulations, which develop mainly by a ripple process, and the touch papillae of the bill tip organ, which appears through an evagination process at the end of the beak. During their development, we observed the specific expression of PAX9, PITX2, and BMP4, while SHH was expressed mainly in the basal layer of the epithelium in a non-specific manner. Adult goose denticulations are associated with numerous columns. The goose denticulations and columns were filled with numerous Herbst and Grandry corpuscles, as well the touch papillae of the bill tip organ. Histological analysis of adult parrot pseudoteeth revealed that the osseous pseudoteeth were extended by similar columns filled with Herbst and Grandry corpuscles. We also examined adult and embryonic chicken beaks. During ontogeny, we observed a process of rostral evagination with folding associated with discrete ripples in the anterior part of the beak rudiment, in which PAX9, PITX2, and BMP4 are expressed. In the corresponding adult areas, there were numerous sensory corpuscles with rostral columns, which were similar to the features observed in goose. These observations support the hypothesis that pseudoteeth and denticulations constitute sensory organs, and that the touch papillae exhibit some similarities with pseudoteeth.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Louryan
- Laboratoire d'anatomie, biomécanique et organogenèse, université libre de Bruxelles, faculté de médecine, 808, route de Lennik, C.P. 619, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium.
| | - M Choa-Duterre
- Laboratoire d'anatomie, biomécanique et organogenèse, université libre de Bruxelles, faculté de médecine, 808, route de Lennik, C.P. 619, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - M Lejong
- Laboratoire d'anatomie, biomécanique et organogenèse, université libre de Bruxelles, faculté de médecine, 808, route de Lennik, C.P. 619, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - N Vanmuylder
- Laboratoire d'anatomie, biomécanique et organogenèse, université libre de Bruxelles, faculté de médecine, 808, route de Lennik, C.P. 619, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
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5
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Krishnan A. Biomechanics illuminates form-function relationships in bird bills. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:297128. [PMID: 36912385 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
The field of comparative biomechanics examines how form, mechanical properties and environmental interactions shape the function of biological structures. Biomechanics has advanced by leaps and bounds as rapid technological progress opens up new research horizons. In this Review, I describe how our understanding of the avian bill, a morphologically diverse multifunctional appendage, has been transformed by employing a biomechanical perspective. Across functions from feeding to excavating hollows in trees and as a vocal apparatus, the study of the bill spans both solid and fluid biomechanics, rendering it useful to understand general principles across disciplines. The different shapes of the bill across bird species result in functional and mechanical trade-offs, thus representing a microcosm of many broader form-function questions. Using examples from diverse studies, I discuss how research into bird bills has been shaped over recent decades, and its influence on our understanding of avian ecology and evolution. Next, I examine how bill material properties and geometry influence performance in dietary and non-dietary contexts, simultaneously imposing trade-offs on other functions. Following an examination of the interactions of bills with fluids and their role as part of the vocal apparatus, I end with a discussion of the sensory biomechanics of the bill, focusing specifically on the bill-tip mechanosensory organ. With these case studies, I highlight how this burgeoning and consequential field represents a roadmap for our understanding of the function and evolution of biological structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Krishnan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal, Bhauri 462066, Madhya Pradesh, India
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6
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du Toit CJ, Chinsamy A, Cunningham SJ. Comparative morphology and soft tissue histology of the remote-touch bill-tip organ in three ibis species of differing foraging ecology. J Anat 2022; 241:966-980. [PMID: 35938671 PMCID: PMC9482703 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ibises (order: Pelecaniformes, family: Threskiornithidae) are probe-foraging birds that use 'remote-touch' to locate prey items hidden in opaque substrates. This sensory capability allows them to locate their prey using high-frequency vibrations in the substrate in the absence of other sensory cues. Remote-touch is facilitated by a specialised bill-tip organ, comprising high densities of mechanoreceptors (Herbst corpuscles) embedded in numerous foramina in the beak bones. Each foramen and its associated Herbst corpuscles make up a sensory unit, called a 'sensory pit'. These sensory pits are densely clustered in the distal portion of the beak. Previous research has indicated that interspecific differences in the extent of sensory pitting in the beak bones correlate with aquatic habitat use of ibises, and have been suggested to reflect different levels of remote-touch sensitivity. Our study investigates the interspecific differences in the bone and soft tissue histology of the bill-tip organs of three species of southern African ibises from different habitats (mainly terrestrial to mainly aquatic). We analysed the external pitting pattern on the bones, as well as internal structure of the beak using micro-CT scans and soft tissue histological sections of each species' bill-tip organs. The beaks of all three species contain remote-touch bill-tip organs and are described here in detail. Clear interspecific differences are evident between the species' bill-tip organs, both in terms of bone morphology and soft tissue histology. Glossy Ibises, which forage exclusively in wetter substrates, have a greater extent of pitting but lower numbers of Herbst corpuscles in each pit, while species foraging in drier substrates (Hadeda and Sacred Ibises) have more robust beaks, fewer pits and higher densities of Herbst corpuscles. Our data, together with previously published histological descriptions of the bill-tip organs of other remote-touch foraging bird species, indicate that species foraging in drier habitats have more sensitive bill-tip organs (based on their anatomy). The vibrations produced by prey (e.g., burrowing invertebrates) travel poorly in dry substrates compared with wetter ones (i.e., dry soil vs. mud or water), and thus we hypothesise that a more sensitive bill-tip organ may be required to successfully locate prey in dry substrates. Furthermore, our results indicate that the differences in bill-tip organ anatomy between the species reflect complex trade-offs between morphological constraints of beak shape and remote-touch sensitivity requirements, both of which are likely related to each species' foraging behaviour and substrate usage. Our study suggests that structures in the bone of the bill-tip organ could provide valuable osteological correlates for the associated soft tissues, and consequently may provide information on the sensory ecology and habitat usage of the birds in the absence of soft tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla J du Toit
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, Private Bag X3, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa.,DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Anusuya Chinsamy
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Susan J Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, Private Bag X3, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
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7
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Ziolkowski LH, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. Tactile sensation in birds: Physiological insights from avian mechanoreceptors. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 74:102548. [PMID: 35489134 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The sense of touch is ubiquitous in vertebrates and relies upon the detection of mechanical forces in the skin by the tactile end-organs of low-threshold mechanoreceptors. Significant progress has been made in understanding the mechanism of tactile end-organ function using mammalian models, but the detailed mechanics of touch sensation in Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles, the principal detectors of transient touch and vibration, remain obscure. The avian homologs of these corpuscles present an opportunity for functional study of mechanosensation in these structures, due to their relative accessibility and high abundance in the bill skin of tactile-foraging waterfowl. Here, we review the current knowledge of mechanosensory end-organs in birds and highlight the utility of the avian model to understand general principles of touch detection in the glabrous skin of vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke H Ziolkowski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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8
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Decision-making at the time of parasitism: cowbirds prefer to peck eggs with weaker shells. Anim Cogn 2021; 25:275-285. [PMID: 34405287 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01549-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Interspecific avian brood parasites, like cuckoos and cowbirds, lay their eggs in nests of other species, the hosts, which take over the entire parental care of the parasite's eggs and chicks. This breeding strategy requires decisions that may affect the parasite's reproductive success. During the breeding season, cowbirds search for host nests and revisit them to monitor its progress and parasitize at the time host laying begins. When visiting hosts nests, they repeatedly peck the nest contents trying to destroy one or more eggs. This behaviour favours parasite's offspring by reducing the competition for food with nestmates. We evaluated if the egg-pecking behaviour of female shiny (Molothrus bonariensis) and screaming (M. rufoaxillaris) cowbirds is affected by the strength and the size of the eggs they find in the nest. We presented to wild-caught females artificial clutches with two natural eggs that differ in size and shell strength. We found that female shiny and screaming cowbirds adjusted egg-pecking behaviour based on the strength but not on the size of the eggs. When differences in strength between eggs were high, both cowbird species pecked more frequently the egg with the weaker shell, increasing the probability of a successful puncture. Our results indicate that female cowbirds can discriminate eggs through the strength of the shell, and by choosing the weaker egg to peck, they increase the probability of puncturing.
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9
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Shi L, Bai H, Li Y, Yuan J, Wang P, Wang Y, Ni A, Jiang L, Ge P, Bian S, Zong Y, Isa AM, Tesfay HH, Yang F, Ma H, Sun Y, Chen J. Analysis of DNA Methylation Profiles in Mandibular Condyle of Chicks With Crossed Beaks Using Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing. Front Genet 2021; 12:680115. [PMID: 34306022 PMCID: PMC8298039 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.680115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Crossed beaks have been observed in at least 12 chicken strains around the world, which severely impairs their growth and welfare. To explore the intrinsic factor causing crossed beaks, this study measured the length of bilateral mandibular ramus of affected birds, and investigated the genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of normal and affected sides of mandibular condyle. Results showed that the trait was caused by impaired development of unilateral mandibular ramus, which is extended through calcification of mandibular condyle. The methylation levels in the CG contexts were higher than that of CHG and CHH, with the highest methylation level of gene body region, followed by transcription termination sites and downstream. Subsequently, we identified 1,568 differentially methylated regions and 1,317 differentially methylated genes in CG contexts. Functional annotation analysis of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that these genes were involved in bone mineralization and bone morphogenesis. Furthermore, by combining the WGBS and previous RNA-Seq data, 11 overlapped genes were regulated by both long non-coding RNA and DNA methylation. Among them, FIGNL1 is an important gene in calcification of mandibular condyle. Generally, because the affected genes play key roles in maintaining mandibular calcification, these changes may be pivotal factors of crossed beaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Shi
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Bai
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yunlei Li
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwei Yuan
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Panlin Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanmei Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Aixin Ni
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Linlin Jiang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pingzhuang Ge
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shixiong Bian
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunhe Zong
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Adamu Mani Isa
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hailai Hagos Tesfay
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fujian Yang
- Guangxi Shenhuang Group Co., Ltd., Yulin, China
| | - Hui Ma
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yanyan Sun
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jilan Chen
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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10
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du Toit CJ, Chinsamy A, Cunningham SJ. Cretaceous origins of the vibrotactile bill-tip organ in birds. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202322. [PMID: 33259758 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Some probe-foraging birds locate their buried prey by detecting mechanical vibrations in the substrate using a specialized tactile bill-tip organ comprising mechanoreceptors embedded in densely clustered pits in the bone at the tip of their beak. This remarkable sensory modality is known as 'remote touch', and the associated bill-tip organ is found in probe-foraging taxa belonging to both the palaeognathous (in kiwi) and neognathous (in ibises and shorebirds) clades of modern birds. Intriguingly, a structurally similar bill-tip organ is also present in the beaks of extant, non-probing palaeognathous birds (e.g. emu and ostriches) that do not use remote touch. By comparison with our comprehensive sample representing all orders of extant modern birds (Neornithes), we provide evidence that the lithornithids (the most basal known palaeognathous birds which evolved in the Cretaceous period) had the ability to use remote touch. This finding suggests that the occurrence of the vestigial bony bill-tip organ in all modern non-probing palaeognathous birds represents a plesiomorphic condition. Furthermore, our results show that remote-touch probe foraging evolved very early among the Neornithes and it may even have predated the palaeognathous-neognathous divergence. We postulate that the tactile bony bill-tip organ in Neornithes may have originated from other snout tactile specializations of their non-avian theropod ancestors.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J du Toit
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.,DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, South Africa.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rhodes Gift 7700, South Africa
| | - A Chinsamy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rhodes Gift 7700, South Africa
| | - S J Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
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11
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Nikolaev YA, Feketa VV, Anderson EO, Schneider ER, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. Lamellar cells in Pacinian and Meissner corpuscles are touch sensors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eabe6393. [PMID: 33328243 PMCID: PMC7744075 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe6393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The skin covering the human palm and other specialized tactile organs contains a high density of mechanosensory corpuscles tuned to detect transient pressure and vibration. These corpuscles comprise a sensory afferent neuron surrounded by lamellar cells. The neuronal afferent is thought to be the mechanical sensor, whereas the function of lamellar cells is unknown. We show that lamellar cells within Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles detect tactile stimuli. We develop a preparation of bill skin from tactile-specialist ducks that permits electrophysiological recordings from lamellar cells and demonstrate that they contain mechanically gated ion channels. We show that lamellar cells from Meissner corpuscles generate mechanically evoked action potentials using R-type voltage-gated calcium channels. These findings provide the first evidence for R-type channel-dependent action potentials in non-neuronal cells and demonstrate that lamellar cells actively detect touch. We propose that Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles use neuronal and non-neuronal mechanoreception to detect mechanical signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yury A Nikolaev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Viktor V Feketa
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Evan O Anderson
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Eve R Schneider
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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12
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Hardy AR, Hale ME. Sensing the structural characteristics of surfaces: texture encoding by a bottom-dwelling fish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/21/jeb227280. [PMID: 33144404 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.227280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The texture of contacted surfaces influences our perception of the physical environment and modulates behavior. Texture perception and its neural encoding mechanisms have traditionally been studied in the primate hand, yet animals of all types live in richly textured environments and regularly interact with textured surfaces. Here we explore texture sensation in a different type of vertebrate limb by investigating touch and potential texture encoding mechanisms in the pectoral fins of fishes, the forelimb homologs. We investigated the pectoral fins of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), a bottom-dwelling species that lives on substrate types of varying roughness and whose fins frequently contact the bottom. Analysis shows that the receptive field sizes of fin ray afferents are small and afferents exhibit response properties to tactile motion that are consistent with those of primates and other animals studied previously. In response to a periodic stimulus (coarse gratings), afferents phase lock to the stimulus temporal frequency and thus can provide information about surface texture. These data demonstrate that fish can have the capability to sense the tactile features of their near range physical environment with fins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R Hardy
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, 1027 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Melina E Hale
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, 1027 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Shi L, Li Y, Bai H, Li D, Wang P, Jiang L, Fan J, Ge P, Ni A, Wang Y, Bian S, Zong Y, Isa AM, Tesfay HH, Ma H, Gong Y, Sun Y, Chen J. Phenotype characterization of crossed beaks in Beijing-You chickens based on morphological observation. Poult Sci 2020; 99:5197-5205. [PMID: 33142435 PMCID: PMC7647825 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of crossed beaks ranging from 0.2 to 7.4% was documented in at least 12 chicken strains. Previous studies focused largely on candidate molecules, whereas the morphological observation was missing. This study reported a detailed phenotype and prevalence of crossed beaks based on morphological observation in nine thousand nine hundred 1-day-old female Beijing-You chicks. Affected chicks were classified into 2 categories based on the direction of the mandibular deformation: left and right. Each category was selected to sacrifice for the measurement of length, width, and thickness of the bilateral mandibular ramus (MR). The normal chicks were used as controls. Paraffin section was made for the bilateral MR of a crossed beak and a normal control for histology analysis. A total of 97 out of 9,900 chickens showed beak deformity including 71 crossed beaks (0.72%) and 26 side beaks (0.26%) for which the upper and lower beak were both bent in the same direction. There was no difference in the direction of the bend of the lower beak in crossed beaks (P > 0.05). The incidence of crossed beaks increased quickly from 0 to 56 d and no new incidence after 56 d. The angle of the crossed beaks was below 5° in the first week and had grown more severe with age until 56 d. The mandible structure showed that condyle served as a growth center for the MR extension. The short-side MR of crossed beaks was thicker than normal ones (P < 0.05) and caused the mandible deviated to the same direction. Meanwhile, the short-side MR prevented the occlusion, leading the jugal arch deformity, which in turn resulted in a bent maxillary horizontally. Similarly, chicks with side beaks also had asymmetry in MR length and the deformities of the jugal arch after dissection. In summary, asymmetric growth of bilateral MR induced crossed beaks and side beaks; the mandibular condyle could be an ideal sample for the related molecular mechanism studies underlying this trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Shi
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yunlei Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hao Bai
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Dongli Li
- Beijing Bainianliyuan Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd., Beijing 101500, China
| | - Panlin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Linlin Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jing Fan
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Pingzhuang Ge
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Aixin Ni
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuanmei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shixiong Bian
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yunhe Zong
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Adamu Mani Isa
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hailai Hagos Tesfay
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hui Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yanzhang Gong
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yanyan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Jilan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
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14
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Iwaniuk AN, Wylie DR. Sensory systems in birds: What we have learned from studying sensory specialists. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:2902-2918. [PMID: 32133638 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
"Diversity" is an apt descriptor of the research career of Jack Pettigrew as it ranged from the study of trees, to clinical conditions, to sensory neuroscience. Within sensory neuroscience, he was fascinated by the evolution of sensory systems across species. Here, we review some of his work on avian sensory specialists and research that he inspired in others. We begin with an overview of the importance of the Wulst in stereopsis and the need for further study of the Wulst in relation to binocularity across avian species. Next, we summarize recent anatomical, behavioral, and physiological studies on optic flow specializations in hummingbirds. Beyond vision, we discuss the first evidence of a tactile "fovea" in birds and how this led to detailed studies of tactile specializations in waterfowl and sensorimotor systems in parrots. We then describe preliminary studies by Pettigrew of two endemic Australian species, the plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) and letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus), that suggest the evolution of some unique auditory and visual specializations in relation to their unique behavior and ecology. Finally, we conclude by emphasizing the importance of a comparative and integrative approach to understanding avian sensory systems and provide an example of one system that has yet to be properly examined: tactile facial bristles in birds. Through reviewing this research and offering future avenues for discovery, we hope that others also embrace the comparative approach to understanding sensory system evolution in birds and other vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N Iwaniuk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Douglas R Wylie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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15
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Aiello BR, Hardy AR, Westneat MW, Hale ME. Fins as Mechanosensors for Movement and Touch-Related Behaviors. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:844-859. [PMID: 29917043 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanosensation is a universal feature of animals that is essential for behavior, allowing detection of animals' own body movement and position as well as physical characteristics of the environment. The extraordinary morphological and behavioral diversity that exists across fish species provide rich opportunities for comparative mechanosensory studies in fins. The fins of fishes have been found to function as proprioceptors, by providing feedback on fin ray position and movement, and as tactile sensors, by encoding pressures applied to the fin surface. Across fish species, and among fins, the afferent response is remarkably consistent, suggesting that the ability of fin rays and membrane to sense deformation is a fundamental feature of fish fins. While fin mechanosensation has been known in select, often highly specialized, species for decades, only in the last decade have we explored mechanosensation in typical propulsive fins and considered its role in behavior, particularly locomotion. In this paper, we synthesize the current understanding of the anatomy and physiology of fin mechanosensation, looking toward key directions for research. We argue that a mechanosensory perspective informs studies of fin-based propulsion and other fin-driven behaviors and should be considered in the interpretation of fin morphology and behavior. In addition, we compare the mechanosensory system innervating the fins of fishes to the systems innervating the limbs of mammals and wings of insects in order to identify shared mechanosensory strategies and how different organisms have evolved to meet similar functional challenges. Finally, we discuss how understanding the biological organization and function of fin sensors can inform the design of control systems for engineered fins and fin-driven robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett R Aiello
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Adam R Hardy
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Mark W Westneat
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Melina E Hale
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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16
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Avilova KV. Spatial Organization of the Epithelial Structures in the Bill Tip Organ of Waterfowl (Anseriformes, Aves). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s2079086418030027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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17
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Harem İS, Kocak M, Sari EK. The histological structure and histochemistry of the mucosa of the nasal conchae in geese, Anser anser. Biotech Histochem 2018; 93:432-441. [DOI: 10.1080/10520295.2018.1450523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- İS Harem
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa
| | - M Kocak
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Namik Kemal University, Tekirdag
| | - E Karadag Sari
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey
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18
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Avilova KV, Fedorenko AG, Lebedeva NV. The Mechanoreceptor Organs of the Lamellirostral Birds (Anseriformes, Aves). BIOL BULL+ 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359017060036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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19
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Crole MR, Soley JT. Bony Pits in the Ostrich (Struthio camelus) and Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) Bill Tip. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2017; 300:1705-1715. [PMID: 28296166 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A specialized region of the bill tip characterized by a complex arrangement of mechanoreceptors and referred to as a bill tip organ, has been identified in numerous avians. A bill tip organ was initially inferred in kiwi species by the presence of numerous, bony pits in the rostrum of the bill, and later confirmed histologically. This study enumerates and compares the number and distribution of pits present in the bill tip in the ostrich and emu. The heads from 10 ostrich and 5 emu were prepared for osteological examination. The pattern and total number of pits was similar between the two species. However, the ostrich had significantly more pits in the regions underlying the Culmen and Gonys, whereas the emu displayed significantly more pits in the dorsal part of the mandibular rostrum. The relatively even distribution of pits in the inner and outer surfaces of both the mandibular and maxillary rostra suggest that the bill tip of the ostrich and emu are equally sensitive externally and intra-orally, as opposed to probing birds, where the major concentration of pits is located on the outer surfaces of the bill tips. The presence of pits in the bill tips of extant paleaognaths may be of relevance in interpreting the pits in the rostra of extinct therapod dinosaurs. The presence of bony pits in a region which is also well supplied with sensory nerves is highly suggestive of a bill tip organ in the ostrich and emu and which needs to be confirmed histologically. Anat Rec, 300:1705-1715, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina R Crole
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - John T Soley
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
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20
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Schneider ER, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. Evolutionary Specialization of Tactile Perception in Vertebrates. Physiology (Bethesda) 2017; 31:193-200. [PMID: 27053733 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00036.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution has endowed vertebrates with the remarkable tactile ability to explore the world through the perception of physical force. Yet the sense of touch remains one of the least well understood senses at the cellular and molecular level. Vertebrates specializing in tactile perception can highlight general principles of mechanotransduction. Here, we review cellular and molecular adaptations that underlie the sense of touch in typical and acutely mechanosensitive vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve R Schneider
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Slav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut;
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21
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Morphofunctional study of the tongue in the domestic duck ( Anas platyrhynchos f. domestica, Anatidae): LM and SEM study. ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2016; 135:255-268. [PMID: 27340332 PMCID: PMC4871924 DOI: 10.1007/s00435-016-0302-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2015] [Revised: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The domestic duck, as a representative of birds living in the water, is considered as a specialist filter-feeder. Behavioral observations of foraging revealed that these birds also use a terrestrial feeding mechanism such as grazing and pecking. This study examined the entirety of the lingual mucosa in relation to the structural adaptations required for this range of feeding activities. The structures on the lateral surfaces of the tongue, the conical and filiform papillae, constitute the food filtration apparatus. The process of pecking involves the spatula-shaped apex of the tongue and a specific horny plate—the lingual nail. In the grazing mechanism, large conical papillae and lamellae in the beak are required. Structures engaged in intra-oral transport include the median groove, lingual combs, the rostral border of the lingual prominence and distinct rows of conical papillae on the lingual prominence. Two types of keratinized epithelia, the ortho- and parakeratinized epithelium, as well as nonkeratinized epithelium cover individual areas of the tongue. The rostral and caudal lingual glands present in the lamina propria of the body, lingual prominence and root of the tongue produce mucus. The specific arrangement of Grandry and Herbst corpuscles form so-called bill-tongue organ monitoring food transportation. Our research confirm that the lingual mucosa in domestic duck is characterized by microstructural species-specific modifications of particular areas of the tongue, which is formed not only under the influence of the filtering mechanism, but also by terrestrial feeding mechanisms such as grazing or pecking.
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Elofsson R, Tuminaite I, Kröger RHH. A complex sensory organ in the nose skin of the prosimian primateLemur catta. J Morphol 2015; 276:649-56. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2014] [Revised: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rolf Elofsson
- Unit of Functional Zoology; Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
| | - Inga Tuminaite
- Unit of Functional Zoology; Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
| | - Ronald H. H. Kröger
- Unit of Functional Zoology; Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
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Crole MR, du Plessis L, Soley JT. Morphological Features of Herbst Corpuscles in the Oropharynx of the Ostrich (Struthio camelus) and Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2014; 298:783-96. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martina R. Crole
- Anatomy section, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Pretoria; Onderstepoort 0110 South Africa
| | - Lizette du Plessis
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Pretoria; Onderstepoort 0110 South Africa
| | - John T. Soley
- Anatomy section, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Pretoria; Onderstepoort 0110 South Africa
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Crole MR, Soley JT. Comparative distribution and arrangement of Herbst corpuscles in the oropharynx of the ostrich (Struthio camelus) and emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2014; 297:1338-48. [PMID: 24782341 DOI: 10.1002/ar.22933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Herbst corpuscles are widely distributed throughout the oropharynx of the ostrich and emu in contrast to the general situation in birds. Knowledge of the comparative distribution of Herbst corpuscles in the oropharynx of these two commercially important ratite species may assist in a better understanding of their feeding habits. Tissue sections representing all parts of the oropharynx of five ostrich and five emu heads collected after slaughter were prepared for light microscopy, the Herbst corpuscles counted, and the relative percentage of corpuscles calculated for defined anatomical regions. Herbst corpuscles were more widespread in the oropharynx of the emu (where they were additionally found in the tongue and laryngeal mound) than in the ostrich but were absent from the pharyngeal folds in both species. The results further indicated that Herbst corpuscles were strategically located to aid in the handling and transport of food. In this context, the high concentration of Herbst corpuscles in the prominent median palatine and ventral ridges in the ostrich denote these structures as sensory organs, namely the palatal and interramal organs. The presence of these sensory organs, coupled with the higher relative percentage of Herbst corpuscles located on the rostral oropharyngeal floor, indicate that the part of the oropharynx caudal to the mandibular and maxillary rostra forms an important sensory region in the ostrich. Additionally, species-specific concentrations of Herbst corpuscles within the oropharynx were identified which appear to assist in the accurate positioning of the tongue and laryngeal mound for cleaning the choana (internal nares) after swallowing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Rachel Crole
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
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25
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Cunningham SJ, Corfield JR, Iwaniuk AN, Castro I, Alley MR, Birkhead TR, Parsons S. The anatomy of the bill tip of kiwi and associated somatosensory regions of the brain: comparisons with shorebirds. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80036. [PMID: 24244601 PMCID: PMC3828210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Three families of probe-foraging birds, Scolopacidae (sandpipers and snipes), Apterygidae (kiwi), and Threskiornithidae (ibises, including spoonbills) have independently evolved long, narrow bills containing clusters of vibration-sensitive mechanoreceptors (Herbst corpuscles) within pits in the bill-tip. These 'bill-tip organs' allow birds to detect buried or submerged prey via substrate-borne vibrations and/or interstitial pressure gradients. Shorebirds, kiwi and ibises are only distantly related, with the phylogenetic divide between kiwi and the other two taxa being particularly deep. We compared the bill-tip structure and associated somatosensory regions in the brains of kiwi and shorebirds to understand the degree of convergence of these systems between the two taxa. For comparison, we also included data from other taxa including waterfowl (Anatidae) and parrots (Psittaculidae and Cacatuidae), non-apterygid ratites, and other probe-foraging and non probe-foraging birds including non-scolopacid shorebirds (Charadriidae, Haematopodidae, Recurvirostridae and Sternidae). We show that the bill-tip organ structure was broadly similar between the Apterygidae and Scolopacidae, however some inter-specific variation was found in the number, shape and orientation of sensory pits between the two groups. Kiwi, scolopacid shorebirds, waterfowl and parrots all shared hypertrophy or near-hypertrophy of the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus. Hypertrophy of the nucleus basorostralis, however, occurred only in waterfowl, kiwi, three of the scolopacid species examined and a species of oystercatcher (Charadriiformes: Haematopodidae). Hypertrophy of the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus in kiwi, Scolopacidae, and other tactile specialists appears to have co-evolved alongside bill-tip specializations, whereas hypertrophy of nucleus basorostralis may be influenced to a greater extent by other sensory inputs. We suggest that similarities between kiwi and scolopacid bill-tip organs and associated somatosensory brain regions are likely a result of similar ecological selective pressures, with inter-specific variations reflecting finer-scale niche differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan J. Cunningham
- Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
- Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Jeremy R. Corfield
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrew N. Iwaniuk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Isabel Castro
- Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Maurice R. Alley
- Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Tim R. Birkhead
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Parsons
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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26
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Leitch DB, Catania KC. Structure, innervation and response properties of integumentary sensory organs in crocodilians. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 215:4217-30. [PMID: 23136155 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.076836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Integumentary sensory organs (ISOs) are densely distributed on the jaws of crocodilians and on body scales of members of the families Crocodilidae and Gavialidae. We examined the distribution, anatomy, innervation and response properties of ISOs on the face and body of crocodilians and documented related behaviors for an alligatorid (Alligator mississippiensis) and a crocodylid (Crocodylus niloticus). Each of the ISOs (roughly 4000 in A. mississippiensis and 9000 in C. niloticus) was innervated by networks of afferents supplying multiple different mechanoreceptors. Electrophysiological recordings from the trigeminal ganglion and peripheral nerves were made to isolate single-unit receptive fields and to test possible osmoreceptive and electroreceptive functions. Multiple small (<0.1 mm(2)) receptive fields, often from a single ISO, were recorded from the premaxilla, the rostral dentary, the gingivae and the distal digits. These responded to a median threshold of 0.08 mN. The less densely innervated caudal margins of the jaws had larger receptive fields (>100 mm(2)) and higher thresholds (13.725 mN). Rapidly adapting, slowly adapting type I and slowly adapting type II responses were identified based on neuronal responses. Several rapidly adapting units responded maximally to vibrations at 20-35 Hz, consistent with reports of the ISOs' role in detecting prey-generated water surface ripples. Despite crocodilians' armored bodies, the ISOs imparted a mechanical sensitivity exceeding that of primate fingertips. We conclude that crocodilian ISOs have diverse functions, including detection of water movements, indicating when to bite based on direct contact of pursued prey, and fine tactile discrimination of items held in the jaws.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan B Leitch
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
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27
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Lisney TJ, Stecyk K, Kolominsky J, Schmidt BK, Corfield JR, Iwaniuk AN, Wylie DR. Ecomorphology of eye shape and retinal topography in waterfowl (Aves: Anseriformes: Anatidae) with different foraging modes. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2013; 199:385-402. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-013-0802-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2012] [Revised: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Jackowiak H, Skieresz-Szewczyk K, Godynicki S, Iwasaki SI, Meyer W. Functional morphology of the tongue in the domestic goose (Anser anser f. domestica). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2011; 294:1574-84. [PMID: 21830308 DOI: 10.1002/ar.21447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2009] [Revised: 05/17/2011] [Accepted: 05/25/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Using LM and SEM methods, the study describes microstructures in particular areas of the tongue of the goose. A thick multilayered keratinized epithelium forms the "lingual nail" and covers small and giant conical papillae, whereby the first functions as an exoskeleton of the tongue apex, and the latter are arranged along the lingual and well-developed connective tissue cores, and together with the bill lamellae are involved in cutting. The row of conical papillae on the lingual prominence prevents regurgitation of transported food. In the area of the "lingual nail" and in the anterior part of the lingual prominence, Herbst corpuscles are accumulated, which allow to recognize food position. Filiform papillae, as widely distributed between the conical papillae of the body, are responsible for filtering. They can be explained as long keratinized processes of the epithelium and are devoid of connective tissue cores. During food transport, the flattened areas of the lingual body and the lingual prominence are protected by a parakeratinized epithelium, but the root is covered by a nonkeratinized epithelium. The presence of adipose tissue in the tongue probably reduces pressure during food passage, but also promotes mucus evacuation from the lingual glands, thus facilitating food transport. An entoglossal bone with a continuation as cartilage is the stable structural basis of the tongue system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Jackowiak
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, Poznań, Poland.
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Demery ZP, Chappell J, Martin GR. Vision, touch and object manipulation in Senegal parrots Poicephalus senegalus. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 278:3687-93. [PMID: 21525059 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parrots are exceptional among birds for their high levels of exploratory behaviour and manipulatory abilities. It has been argued that foraging method is the prime determinant of a bird's visual field configuration. However, here we argue that the topography of visual fields in parrots is related to their playful dexterity, unique anatomy and particularly the tactile information that is gained through their bill tip organ during object manipulation. We measured the visual fields of Senegal parrots Poicephalus senegalus using the ophthalmoscopic reflex technique and also report some preliminary observations on the bill tip organ in this species. We found that the visual fields of Senegal parrots are unlike those described hitherto in any other bird species, with both a relatively broad frontal binocular field and a near comprehensive field of view around the head. The behavioural implications are discussed and we consider how extractive foraging and object exploration, mediated in part by tactile cues from the bill, has led to the absence of visual coverage of the region below the bill in favour of more comprehensive visual coverage above the head.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe P Demery
- Centre for Ornithology, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc D. Binder
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle Washington, USA
| | - Nobutaka Hirokawa
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine University of Tokyo Hongo, Bunkyo‐ku Tokyo, Japan
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31
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Abstract
The ontogeny of cutaneous sensory nerve organs is described in higher vertebrates, and includes the lamellated corpuscles of Meissner, Pacini and Herbst, and the Merkel cell-neurite complex with bird Merkel and Grandry corpuscles, and mammalian Merkel cells. The main common feature is that for most corpuscles there is an inside-out order of assembly around the nerve ending which is present from the beginning of end-organ ontogeny. The exception is the mammalian Merkel cell which is present in the epidermis before the entrance of nerve fibers, and could play a promotional role in the development of skin innervation. The developmental origin of Herbst and Merkel corpuscles in birds is reported as demonstrated using embryological experiments with cell markers. Conclusions are that inner bulb cells of Herbst corpuscles and bird Merkel cells are of neural crest origin, whereas other cells (inner space and capsular cells for Herbst corpuscle and capsular cells for Merkel corpuscles) are provided by the local mesenchyme. The question of the ontogeny of mammalian Merkel cells is discussed in relation to the two debated hypothesis of epidermal and neural crest origins. Morphogenetic interactions during the development of cutaneous sensory end organs are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Saxod
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie du Développement, CERMO, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
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Nir I, Hillel R, Ptichi I, Shefet G. Effect of particle size on performance. 3. Grinding pelleting interactions. Poult Sci 1995; 74:771-83. [PMID: 7603952 DOI: 10.3382/ps.0740771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Three experiments were conducted to study the effect of particle size obtained by grinding wheat and sorghum in a hammer mill (HM) or roller mill (RM) on broiler performance. Broilers were fed a mash diet or crumbles to 4 wk of age, then pellets to 7 wk of age. When fed as a mash, diets produced with RM-ground grain improved performance. The effect of grinding was additive to that of pelleting. The interactive effects observed between grinding method and the form of the feed on body weight and feed intake were explained by the higher response to pelleting when grains were ground in HM vs RM. The positive effect of grinding in RM on feed utilization was found to be additive to that of pelleting in all three experiments. The response of females to feed texture was less pronounced than that of males. In males, feeding pellets vs mash increased mortality due to ascites threefold, whereas grinding method had no effect. Females were less susceptible to ascites than males, and feed texture had no effect in this respect. The effects of grinding and pelleting on the gastrointestinal tract segments were additive. The main effects of feed texture were a significant increase in stomach weight and that of its contents following HM grinding and a decrease in these following pelleting, with no interactions between the two.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Nir
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel
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Hamann W. Mammalian cutaneous mechanoreceptors. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 1995; 64:81-104. [PMID: 8868524 DOI: 10.1016/0079-6107(95)00011-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- W Hamann
- Anaesthetics Department, UMDS Guy's Hospital, London, U.K
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34
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Nir I, Twina Y, Grossman E, Nitsan Z. Quantitative effects of pelleting on performance, gastrointestinal tract and behaviour of meat-type chickens. Br Poult Sci 1994; 35:589-602. [PMID: 7530155 DOI: 10.1080/00071669408417724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
1. In an attempt to quantify the effects of "degree" of pelleting, two experiments were conducted. Diets were prepared by mixing together a mash composed mainly of maize (experiment 1) or sorghum (experiment 2) with soft pellets, or soft pellets mixed with hard pellets. 2. The pelleting degrees (PDs) were as follows: 0 mash; 0.5 mixture of soft pellets and mash 1 to 1; 1 soft pellets pelleted once; 1.5 mixture of soft and hard pellets 1 to 1; 2 hard pellets pelleted twice. 3. In experiment 2, the weight and length of the digestive organs were determined as well as digestive enzyme activities. In both experiments, the behaviour recorded was eating, standing, sitting and drinking. 4. Food intake and body weight gain were related to the degree of pelleting in a curvilinear manner. PD had a positive effect up to a peak (1 to 1.5 PD), after which its effect decreased. Food efficiency was not related to PD. In experiment 1, food efficiency of PDs 1 to 2 were superior to PDs 0 to 0.5 and in experiment 2, PDs 1.5 to 2 were superior to PD 0. 5. The relative weight of the gizzard was reduced by pelleting, whereas pelleting increased the relative weight of abdominal fat. The content of the crop was not affected by PD, whereas that of the proventriculus was lowest in the PD 2 group. Gizzard content was inversely related to PD. Pelleting reduced the length of the jejunum and ileum: which were shortened by about 15% with PDs 1 to 2, as compared to PD 0. The weight/length ratio of the jejunum and ileum tended to increase with increasing PD to a peak at PD 1.5, and to decrease thereafter. 6. Trypsin activity in the pancreas and amylase activity in the intestinal content were reduced by pelleting. 7. Chicks fed pelleted diets were less active: they 'sat' more and spent less time eating than their mash-fed counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Nir
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel
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35
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Hamann W. Comparative Physiology of Cutaneous Mechanoreceptors. ADVANCES IN COMPARATIVE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY 1992. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-76690-9_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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36
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NIR I, MELCION J, PICARD M. Effect of Particle Size of Sorghum Grains on Feed Intake and Performance of Young Broilers. Poult Sci 1990. [DOI: 10.3382/ps.0692177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Wild JM. Peripheral and central terminations of hypoglossal afferents innervating lingual tactile mechanoreceptor complexes in Fringillidae. J Comp Neurol 1990; 298:157-71. [PMID: 1698831 DOI: 10.1002/cne.902980203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Injections of cholera toxin B subunit conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (CTB-HRP) were made into the lingual branch of the hypoglossal nerve in four species of finch in order to identify the innervation of the mechanoreceptors of the dermal papillae of the tongue, and simultaneously to determine the pattern of central projections of lingual hypoglossal afferents. The results showed that hypoglossal fibers innervate all the Herbst corpuscles and terminal cell receptors of the elaborately organized papillae of the dorsum of the tongue, of the shorter papillae in the ventral tongue, and the loose collection of Herbst corpuscles in the subpapillary region. Labelled fibers were also observed in the intralingual glands, in the intrinsic tongue muscles, and in the posterodorsal epithelium where they formed budlike structures. Retrogradely labelled cell bodies were located in the jugular ganglion and their central processes ascended and descended throughout the brainstem within the descending trigeminal tract (TTD). Terminal fields were observed within the dorsolateral part of the nucleus caudalis of TTD, predominantly ipsilaterally, and within the medial part of the dorsal horn of the first 4-6 cervical segments bilaterally. There were dense patches of termination over a dorsolateral subnucleus of the interpolated nucleus of TTD, and within two regions of the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus: a large one laterally and a small one medially. Terminal fields were also observed within the nucleus ventralis lateralis anterior of the rostral solitary complex, and within adjacent nuclei, which are probably equivalent to the dorsal sensory nuclei of the facial and glossopharyngeal nerves of other avian species. The results are interpreted in the light of the role of the tongue in species-specific patterns of feeding in finches, and the possible requirement for the central integration of touch and taste.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Wild
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand
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Wild JM. Avian somatosensory system: II. Ascending projections of the dorsal column and external cuneate nuclei in the pigeon. J Comp Neurol 1989; 287:1-18. [PMID: 2794122 DOI: 10.1002/cne.902870102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The ascending projections of the dorsal column and external cuneate nuclei (DCN/CuE) in the pigeon were investigated in anterograde tracing experiments by using autoradiography or wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP). The results show that the majority of ascending projections decussate via internal arcuate fibers to form a contralateral medial lemniscus which ascends in a ventral position. In the brainstem, terminal fields were observed in the ventral lamella of the inferior olive (OI), the parabrachial nuclei (PB) of the dorsolateral pons, the intercollicular nucleus (ICo) of the midbrain, and the nucleus pretectalis diffusus (PD). In the diencephalon there were terminal fields in the strata cellulare externum and internum (SCE and SCI) of the caudal hypothalamus; in the intercalated (ICT), ventrolateral (VLT), and reticular nuclei of the ventral thalamus; in the nuclei principalis precommissuralis (PPC), spiriform medialis (SpM), and dorsolateralis posterior, pars caudalis (cDLP) of the caudal thalamus; and in the nuclei dorsalis intermedius ventralis anterior (DIVA), dorsolateralis posterior, pars rostralis (rDLP), dorsolateralis anterior (DLA), and dorsolateralis anterior, pars medialis (DLM) of the rostrodorsal thalamus. The origins of these projections within the DCN/CuE complex were verified in retrograde tracing experiments with WGA-HRP and were found to be partly differentiable with respect to their targets. The projections to DIVA, rDLP, DLA, DLM, cDLP, and SpM arise from all rostrocaudal levels of the DCN/CuE complex; those to ICo arise from caudomedial nuclear regions, while those to the hypothalamus and ventral thalamus arise from rostrolateral nuclear regions. Projections to PB arise from lamina I neurons of the dorsal horn of upper cervical spinal cord segments and from CuE. No evidence was found of a projection to the cerebellum. The distribution of the cells of origin of the medial lemniscus (ML) within the DCN/CuE complex was found to be largely coextensive with the areas of termination of primary spinal (Wild: J. Comp. Neurol. 240:377-395, '85) and some trigeminal (Dubbledam and Karten: J. Comp. Neurol. 180:661-678, '78) afferents. Furthermore, the areas of termination of the ML within the rostrodorsal and caudal thalamus are also either coextensive or closely associated with nuclei which provide a somatosensory projection to separate regions of the telencephalon (Wild: Brain Res. 412:205-223, '87). There are thus clear similarities in the overall pattern of somatosensory projections in the pigeon and in many mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Wild
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand
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39
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Berkhoudt H, Klein BG, Zeigler HP. Afferents to the trigeminal and facial motor nuclei in pigeon (Columba livia L.): central connections of jaw motoneurons. J Comp Neurol 1982; 209:301-12. [PMID: 7130458 DOI: 10.1002/cne.902090308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Trigeminal and facial motor nuclei innervating the pigeon's jaw muscles were identified using a combination of microstimulation and EMG recording and HRP injections were made iontophoretically. The trigeminal motor nucleus receives an ipsilateral projection from sensory neurons in the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus which forms the afferent limb of the monosynaptic stretch reflex of the jaw-closers. Both the trigeminal and facial motor nuclei receive bilateral projections from interneurons in the intertrigeminal area and the lateral (parvocellular) reticular formation of the pons and medulla. These neurons serve as premotor elements in the control of jaw movements, mediating ascending, descending and internuclear connections. The similarity of inputs to the trigeminal and facial nuclei may reflect their common function as jaw motoneurons in this species.
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40
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Arends JJ, Dubbeldam JL. Exteroceptive and proprioceptive afferents of the trigeminal and facial motor nuclei in the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos L.). J Comp Neurol 1982; 209:313-29. [PMID: 7130459 DOI: 10.1002/cne.902090309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Central pathways converging upon the trigeminofacial motor nuclei of the mallard were studied in order to elucidate neuroanatomically the presumed influence of primary sensory trigeminal afferents upon jaw muscle activity. The techniques used included the Fink-Heimer I method after lesions, and axonal transport labeling following injections of 3H-leucine or of HRP for retrograde identification of the neurons of origin. A general description is given of the trigeminofacial motor complex. Jaw closer muscles are innervated by trigeminal motor neurons, and facial motor neurons innervate the jaw depressor muscles. Two afferents premotor systems, one including the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MesV) and the other the rhombencephalic reticular formation, are distinguished. The proprioceptive neurons of the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus project upon the ipsilateral trigeminal motor nucleus and upon the nucleus supratrigeminalis. The latter cell group bilaterally projects upon the dorsal and intermediate parts of the facial motor nucleus and upon the dorsal and intermediate parts of the facial motor nucleus and upon part of the trigeminal motor nucleus. Exteroceptive information, relayed through the primary sensory trigeminal column (PrV and nTTD), ultimately reaches the motor nuclei via the reticular formation. The reticular formation forms the final link of three separate circuits: a telencephalic one entered through the principal trigeminal sensory nucleus, a cerebellar one via subnucleus oralis of the descending trigeminal system, and a direct one via subnucleus interpolaris. No direct connections between the principal trigeminal sensory nucleus or subnuclei of the descending trigeminal system and the motor nuclei of the trigeminal (NV) and facial (NVII) nerves have been observed, nor are such direct projections present in the outflow of the presumed telencephalic and cerebellar circuits, viz. of the archistriatum and the central cerebellar nuclei, respectively. The archistriatum projects via the occipitomesencephalic tract upon the lateral rhombencephalic reticular formation as far down as the rostral cervical cord, as well as upon the subnucleus interpolaris of the descending trigeminal system. Similarly, efferents from the central cerebellar nuclei reach the reticular formation, which in turn projects bilaterally upon the motor nuclei. Finally, commissural intermotor connections apparently are mediated by reticular cells surrounding the motor nuclei of NV or NVII, rather than emanating from these nuclei directly.
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41
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Gottschaldt KM, Fruhstorfer H, Schmidt W, Kräft I. Thermosensitivity and its possible fine-structural basis in mechanoreceptors in the beak skin of geese. J Comp Neurol 1982; 205:219-45. [PMID: 7076894 DOI: 10.1002/cne.902050303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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42
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Butler PJ, Jones DR. The comparative physiology of diving in vertebrates. ADVANCES IN COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 1982; 8:179-364. [PMID: 6753521 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-011508-2.50012-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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43
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Dubbeldam JL, Brus ER, Menken SB, Zeilstra S. The central projections of the glossopharyngeal and vagus ganglia in the mallard, Anas platyrhynchos L. J Comp Neurol 1979; 183:149-68. [PMID: 102665 DOI: 10.1002/cne.901830111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The central projections of the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves in the mallard have been studied with the Fink-Heimer I method and are compared to those of the trigeminal and facial nerves. The N. vagus projects ipsilaterally and contralaterally upon the central nuclei of the solitary complex, except the most rostral part of it, upon the n. sulcalis dorsalis, the parasolitary nuclei and the n. commissuralis. The glossopharyngeal nerve contributes to the rostral pole of the n. centralis anterior and to the n. ventrolateralis anterior of the solitary complex, but it has also terminal fields in a cellgroup sIX of the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus, in a small cellgroup sIXd on the dorsum of the descending trigeminal tract, in the n. interpolaris of this tract and in nuclei of the cuneate complex. There is hardly any overlap of the respective terminal fields. The convergence of projections from N VII and N IX can be connected with the presence of tastebuds in upper and lower bill and in the soft palate. The converging projections from N V and N IX in "trigeminal" nuclei may reflect the functional coherence of the mechanoreceptors in bill and tongue. It is suggested that these nuclei play a role in the feeding behavior.
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Saxod R. Ultrastructure of Merkel corpuscles and so-called "transitional" cells in the white Leghorn chicken. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ANATOMY 1978; 151:453-73. [PMID: 645612 DOI: 10.1002/aja.1001510402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In the chicken Merkel corpuscles are located in the dermis and consist of specialized Merkel cells, discoid nerve endings and lamellar cells. Merkel cells contain characteristic membrane-bound dense-core granules and bundles of microfilaments. Asymmetric junctions, synapse like, with thickened membranes and clusters of dense-core vesicles were observed between the Merkel cells and the nerve endings. The nerve ending is derived from myelinated nerves and sometimes contains clusters of clear vesicles. A laminar system formed by lamellar cells of the Schwann cell type encloses the Merkel cells and the nerve endings. So called "transitional" cells, showing some of the morphological features of both keratinocytes and Merkel cells, were observed in the basal layer of the epidermis. One was located partly in the epidermis and partly in the dermis. The structure of Merkel corpuscles is compared with that of Merkel cells in other tetrapods. The developmental significance of "transitional" cells and the origin of Merkel cells are discussed.
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46
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The physiological basis of tactile sensibility in the beak of geese. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 1974. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00624349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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