1
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Nehme R, Pietiläinen O, Barrett LE. Genomic, molecular, and cellular divergence of the human brain. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:491-505. [PMID: 38897852 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.05.009] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
While many core biological processes are conserved across species, the human brain has evolved with unique capacities. Current understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that endow human traits as well as associated vulnerabilities remains limited. However, emerging data have illuminated species divergence in DNA elements and genome organization, in molecular, morphological, and functional features of conserved neural cell types, as well as temporal differences in brain development. Here, we summarize recent data on unique features of the human brain and their complex implications for the study and treatment of brain diseases. We also consider key outstanding questions in the field and discuss the technologies and foundational knowledge that will be required to accelerate understanding of human neurobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralda Nehme
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Olli Pietiläinen
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lindy E Barrett
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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2
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Kotak P, Maxson S, Weerakkody T, Cichella V, Lamuta C. Octopus-Inspired Muscular Hydrostats Powered By Twisted and Coiled Artificial Muscles. Soft Robot 2024; 11:432-443. [PMID: 37971832 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2023.0069] [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] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional robots are characterized by rigid structures, which restrict their range of motion and their application in environments where complex movements and safe human-robot interactions are required. Soft robots inspired by nature and characterized by soft compliant materials have emerged as an exciting alternative in unstructured environments. However, the use of multicomponent actuators with low power/weight ratios has prevented the development of truly bioinspired soft robots. Octopodes' limbs contain layers of muscular hydrostats, which provide them with a nearly limitless range of motions. In this work, we propose octopus-inspired muscular hydrostats powered by an emerging class of artificial muscles called twisted and coiled artificial muscles (TCAMs). TCAMs are fabricated by twisting and coiling inexpensive fibers, can sustain stresses up to 60 MPa, and provide tensile strokes of nearly 50% with <0.2 V/cm of input voltage. These artificial muscles overcome the limitations of other actuators in terms of cost, power, and portability. We developed four different configurations of muscular hydrostats with TCAMs arranged in different orientations to reproduce the main motions of octopodes' arms: shortening, torsion, bending, and extension. We also assembled an untethered waterproof device with on-board control, sensing, actuation, and a power source for driving our hydrostats underwater. The proposed TCAM-powered muscular hydrostats will pave the way for the development of compliant bioinspired robots that can be used to explore the underwater world and perform complex tasks in harsh and dangerous environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parth Kotak
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa-Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Sean Maxson
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa-Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Thilina Weerakkody
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa-Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Venanzio Cichella
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa-Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Caterina Lamuta
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa-Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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3
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Brown JW, Berg OH, Boutko A, Stoerck C, Boersma MA, Frost WN. Division of labor for defensive retaliation and preemption by the peripheral and central nervous systems in the nudibranch Berghia. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2175-2185.e4. [PMID: 38718797 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.038] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Relatively little is known about how peripheral nervous systems (PNSs) contribute to the patterning of behavior in which their role transcends the simple execution of central motor commands or mediation of reflexes. We sought to draw inferences to this end in the aeolid nudibranch Berghia stephanieae, which generates a rapid, dramatic defense behavior, "bristling." This behavior involves the coordinated movement of cerata, dozens of venomous appendages emerging from the animal's mantle. Our investigations revealed that bristling constitutes a stereotyped but non-reflexive two-stage behavior: an initial adduction of proximate cerata to sting the offending stimulus (stage 1) followed by a coordinated radial extension of remaining cerata to create a pincushion-like defensive screen around the animal (stage 2). In decerebrated specimens, stage 1 bristling was preserved, while stage 2 bristling was replaced by slower, uncoordinated ceratal movements. We conclude from these observations that, first, the animal's PNS and central nervous system (CNS) mediate stages 1 and 2 of bristling, respectively; second, the behavior propagates through the body utilizing both peripheral- and central-origin nerve networks that support different signaling kinetics; and third, the former network inhibits the latter in the body region being stimulated. These findings extend our understanding of the PNS' computational capacity and provide insight into a neuroethological scheme in which the CNS and PNS both independently and interactively pattern different aspects of non-reflexive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Brown
- Stanson Toshok Center for Brain Function and Repair, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - Ondine H Berg
- Neuroscience Program, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL 60045, USA
| | - Anastasiya Boutko
- The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - Cody Stoerck
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831, USA
| | | | - William N Frost
- Stanson Toshok Center for Brain Function and Repair, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA.
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4
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Pigozzi F. Pressure-Based Soft Agents. ARTIFICIAL LIFE 2024; 30:240-258. [PMID: 37987673 DOI: 10.1162/artl_a_00415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Biological agents have bodies that are composed mostly of soft tissue. Researchers have resorted to soft bodies to investigate Artificial Life (ALife)-related questions; similarly, a new era of soft-bodied robots has just begun. Nevertheless, because of their infinite degrees of freedom, soft bodies pose unique challenges in terms of simulation, control, and optimization. Herein I propose a novel soft-bodied agents formalism, namely, pressure-based soft agents (PSAs): spring-mass membranes containing a pressurized medium. Pressure endows the agents with structure, while springs and masses simulate softness and allow the agents to assume a large gamut of shapes. PSAs actuate both locally, by changing the resting lengths of springs, and globally, by modulating global pressure. I optimize the controller of PSAs for a locomotion task on hilly terrain, an escape task from a cage, and an object manipulation task. The results suggest that PSAs are indeed effective at the tasks, especially those requiring a shape change. I envision PSAs as playing a role in modeling soft-bodied agents, such as soft robots and biological cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Pigozzi
- University of Trieste Department of Engineering and Architecture.
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5
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Richerson PJ, Gavrilets S. The Field of Evolutionary Neuroscience: A Commentary on "Rethinking Norm Psychology" by Cecilia Heyes. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2024; 19:39-41. [PMID: 37504064 PMCID: PMC10790504 DOI: 10.1177/17456916231187396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Richerson
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California Davis
| | - Sergey Gavrilets
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee Knoxville
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6
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Destanović D, Schultz DT, Styfhals R, Cruz F, Gómez-Garrido J, Gut M, Gut I, Fiorito G, Simakov O, Alioto TS, Ponte G, Seuntjens E. A chromosome-level reference genome for the common octopus, Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797). G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad220. [PMID: 37850903 PMCID: PMC10700109 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Cephalopods are emerging animal models and include iconic species for studying the link between genomic innovations and physiological and behavioral complexities. Coleoid cephalopods possess the largest nervous system among invertebrates, both for cell counts and brain-to-body ratio. Octopus vulgaris has been at the center of a long-standing tradition of research into diverse aspects of cephalopod biology, including behavioral and neural plasticity, learning and memory recall, regeneration, and sophisticated cognition. However, no chromosome-scale genome assembly was available for O. vulgaris to aid in functional studies. To fill this gap, we sequenced and assembled a chromosome-scale genome of the common octopus, O. vulgaris. The final assembly spans 2.8 billion basepairs, 99.34% of which are in 30 chromosome-scale scaffolds. Hi-C heatmaps support a karyotype of 1n = 30 chromosomes. Comparisons with other octopus species' genomes show a conserved octopus karyotype and a pattern of local genome rearrangements between species. This new chromosome-scale genome of O. vulgaris will further facilitate research in all aspects of cephalopod biology, including various forms of plasticity and the neural machinery underlying sophisticated cognition, as well as an understanding of cephalopod evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalila Destanović
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Darrin T Schultz
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Ruth Styfhals
- Department of Biology, Lab of Developmental Neurobiology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples 80121, Italy
| | - Fernando Cruz
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | | | - Marta Gut
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Ivo Gut
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples 80121, Italy
| | - Oleg Simakov
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Tyler S Alioto
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Giovanna Ponte
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples 80121, Italy
| | - Eve Seuntjens
- Department of Biology, Lab of Developmental Neurobiology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- KU Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics (LISCO), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
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7
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Brown JW, Berg OH, Boutko A, Stoerck C, Boersma MA, Frost WN. Neural division of labor: the gastropod Berghia defends against attack using its PNS to retaliate and its CNS to erect a defensive screen. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.29.551068. [PMID: 37577477 PMCID: PMC10418079 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.29.551068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Relatively little is known about how the peripheral nervous system (PNS) contributes to the patterning of behavior, in which its role transcends the simple execution of central motor commands or mediation of reflexes. We sought to draw inferences to this end in the aeolid nudibranch Berghia stephanieae, which generates a rapid, dramatic defense behavior, "bristling." This behavior involves the coordinated movement of cerata, dozens of venomous appendages emerging from the animal's mantle. Our investigations revealed that bristling constitutes a stereotyped but non-reflexive two-stage behavior: an initial adduction of proximate cerata to sting the offending stimulus (Stage 1), followed by a coordinated radial extension of remaining cerata to create a pincushion-like defensive screen around the animal (Stage 2). In decerebrated specimens, Stage 1 bristling was preserved, while Stage 2 bristling was replaced by slower, uncoordinated, and ultimately maladaptive ceratal movements. We conclude from these observations that 1) the PNS and central nervous system (CNS) mediate Stages 1 and 2 of bristling, respectively; 2) the behavior propagates through the body utilizing both peripheral- and central-origin nerve networks that support different signaling kinetics; and 3) the former network inhibits the latter in the body region being stimulated. These findings extend our understanding of the PNS's computational capacity and provide insight into a neuroethological scheme that may generalize across cephalized animals, in which the CNS and PNS both independently and interactively pattern different aspects of non-reflexive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W. Brown
- Stanson Toshok Center for Brain Function and Repair, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064
- School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064
| | - Ondine H. Berg
- Neuroscience Program, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL 60045
| | - Anastasiya Boutko
- The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064
| | - Cody Stoerck
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | | | - William N. Frost
- Stanson Toshok Center for Brain Function and Repair, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064
- School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064
- The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064
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Bidel F, Meirovitch Y, Schalek RL, Lu X, Pavarino EC, Yang F, Peleg A, Wu Y, Shomrat T, Berger DR, Shaked A, Lichtman JW, Hochner B. Connectomics of the Octopus vulgaris vertical lobe provides insight into conserved and novel principles of a memory acquisition network. eLife 2023; 12:e84257. [PMID: 37410519 PMCID: PMC10325715 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84257] [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: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we present the first analysis of the connectome of a small volume of the Octopus vulgaris vertical lobe (VL), a brain structure mediating the acquisition of long-term memory in this behaviorally advanced mollusk. Serial section electron microscopy revealed new types of interneurons, cellular components of extensive modulatory systems, and multiple synaptic motifs. The sensory input to the VL is conveyed via~1.8 × 106 axons that sparsely innervate two parallel and interconnected feedforward networks formed by the two types of amacrine interneurons (AM), simple AMs (SAMs) and complex AMs (CAMs). SAMs make up 89.3% of the~25 × 106VL cells, each receiving a synaptic input from only a single input neuron on its non-bifurcating primary neurite, suggesting that each input neuron is represented in only~12 ± 3.4SAMs. This synaptic site is likely a 'memory site' as it is endowed with LTP. The CAMs, a newly described AM type, comprise 1.6% of the VL cells. Their bifurcating neurites integrate multiple inputs from the input axons and SAMs. While the SAM network appears to feedforward sparse 'memorizable' sensory representations to the VL output layer, the CAMs appear to monitor global activity and feedforward a balancing inhibition for 'sharpening' the stimulus-specific VL output. While sharing morphological and wiring features with circuits supporting associative learning in other animals, the VL has evolved a unique circuit that enables associative learning based on feedforward information flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavie Bidel
- Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew UniversityJerusalemIsrael
| | - Yaron Meirovitch
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Richard Lee Schalek
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Xiaotang Lu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | | | - Fuming Yang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Adi Peleg
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Yuelong Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Tal Shomrat
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic CenterMichmoretIsrael
| | - Daniel Raimund Berger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Adi Shaked
- Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew UniversityJerusalemIsrael
| | - Jeff William Lichtman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Binyamin Hochner
- Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew UniversityJerusalemIsrael
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9
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Pavarino EC, Yang E, Dhanyasi N, Wang MD, Bidel F, Lu X, Yang F, Francisco Park C, Bangalore Renuka M, Drescher B, Samuel ADT, Hochner B, Katz PS, Zhen M, Lichtman JW, Meirovitch Y. mEMbrain: an interactive deep learning MATLAB tool for connectomic segmentation on commodity desktops. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:952921. [PMID: 37396399 PMCID: PMC10309043 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.952921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Connectomics is fundamental in propelling our understanding of the nervous system's organization, unearthing cells and wiring diagrams reconstructed from volume electron microscopy (EM) datasets. Such reconstructions, on the one hand, have benefited from ever more precise automatic segmentation methods, which leverage sophisticated deep learning architectures and advanced machine learning algorithms. On the other hand, the field of neuroscience at large, and of image processing in particular, has manifested a need for user-friendly and open source tools which enable the community to carry out advanced analyses. In line with this second vein, here we propose mEMbrain, an interactive MATLAB-based software which wraps algorithms and functions that enable labeling and segmentation of electron microscopy datasets in a user-friendly user interface compatible with Linux and Windows. Through its integration as an API to the volume annotation and segmentation tool VAST, mEMbrain encompasses functions for ground truth generation, image preprocessing, training of deep neural networks, and on-the-fly predictions for proofreading and evaluation. The final goals of our tool are to expedite manual labeling efforts and to harness MATLAB users with an array of semi-automatic approaches for instance segmentation. We tested our tool on a variety of datasets that span different species at various scales, regions of the nervous system and developmental stages. To further expedite research in connectomics, we provide an EM resource of ground truth annotation from four different animals and five datasets, amounting to around 180 h of expert annotations, yielding more than 1.2 GB of annotated EM images. In addition, we provide a set of four pre-trained networks for said datasets. All tools are available from https://lichtman.rc.fas.harvard.edu/mEMbrain/. With our software, our hope is to provide a solution for lab-based neural reconstructions which does not require coding by the user, thus paving the way to affordable connectomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa C. Pavarino
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Emma Yang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Nagaraju Dhanyasi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Mona D. Wang
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Flavie Bidel
- Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Xiaotang Lu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Fuming Yang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Mukesh Bangalore Renuka
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Brandon Drescher
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | | | - Binyamin Hochner
- Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Paul S. Katz
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Mei Zhen
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jeff W. Lichtman
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Yaron Meirovitch
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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10
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Flash T, Zullo L. Biomechanics, motor control and dynamic models of the soft limbs of the octopus and other cephalopods. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:307147. [PMID: 37083140 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Muscular hydrostats are organs composed entirely of packed arrays of incompressible muscles and lacking any skeletal support. Found in both vertebrates and invertebrates, they are of great interest for comparative biomechanics from engineering and evolutionary perspectives. The arms of cephalopods (e.g. octopus and squid) are particularly interesting muscular hydrostats because of their flexibility and ability to generate complex behaviors exploiting elaborate nervous systems. Several lines of evidence from octopus studies point to the use of both brain and arm-embedded motor control strategies that have evolved to simplify the complexities associated with the control of flexible and hyper-redundant limbs and bodies. Here, we review earlier and more recent experimental studies on octopus arm biomechanics and neural motor control. We review several dynamic models used to predict the kinematic characteristics of several basic motion primitives, noting the shortcomings of the current models in accounting for behavioral observations. We also discuss the significance of impedance (stiffness and viscosity) in controlling the octopus's motor behavior. These factors are considered in light of several new models of muscle biomechanics that could be used in future research to gain a better understanding of motor control in the octopus. There is also a need for updated models that encompass stiffness and viscosity for designing and controlling soft robotic arms. The field of soft robotics has boomed over the past 15 years and would benefit significantly from further progress in biomechanical and motor control studies on octopus and other muscular hydrostats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Flash
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Letizia Zullo
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology (NSYN), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
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11
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Pavarino EC, Yang E, Dhanyasi N, Wang M, Bidel F, Lu X, Yang F, Park CF, Renuka MB, Drescher B, Samuel AD, Hochner B, Katz PS, Zhen M, Lichtman JW, Meirovitch Y. mEMbrain: an interactive deep learning MATLAB tool for connectomic segmentation on commodity desktops. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.17.537196. [PMID: 37131600 PMCID: PMC10153173 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.17.537196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Connectomics is fundamental in propelling our understanding of the nervous system’s organization, unearthing cells and wiring diagrams reconstructed from volume electron microscopy (EM) datasets. Such reconstructions, on the one hand, have benefited from ever more precise automatic segmentation methods, which leverage sophisticated deep learning architectures and advanced machine learning algorithms. On the other hand, the field of neuroscience at large, and of image processing in particular, has manifested a need for user-friendly and open source tools which enable the community to carry out advanced analyses. In line with this second vein, here we propose mEMbrain, an interactive MATLAB-based software which wraps algorithms and functions that enable labeling and segmentation of electron microscopy datasets in a user-friendly user interface compatible with Linux and Windows. Through its integration as an API to the volume annotation and segmentation tool VAST, mEMbrain encompasses functions for ground truth generation, image preprocessing, training of deep neural networks, and on-the-fly predictions for proofreading and evaluation. The final goals of our tool are to expedite manual labeling efforts and to harness MATLAB users with an array of semi-automatic approaches for instance segmentation. We tested our tool on a variety of datasets that span different species at various scales, regions of the nervous system and developmental stages. To further expedite research in connectomics, we provide an EM resource of ground truth annotation from 4 different animals and 5 datasets, amounting to around 180 hours of expert annotations, yielding more than 1.2 GB of annotated EM images. In addition, we provide a set of 4 pre-trained networks for said datasets. All tools are available from https://lichtman.rc.fas.harvard.edu/mEMbrain/ . With our software, our hope is to provide a solution for lab-based neural reconstructions which does not require coding by the user, thus paving the way to affordable connectomics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma Yang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nagaraju Dhanyasi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mona Wang
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Flavie Bidel
- Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Xiaotang Lu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Fuming Yang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Brandon Drescher
- Department Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Binyamin Hochner
- Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Paul S. Katz
- Department Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Mei Zhen
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeff W. Lichtman
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yaron Meirovitch
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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12
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Allard CAH, Kang G, Kim JJ, Valencia-Montoya WA, Hibbs RE, Bellono NW. Structural basis of sensory receptor evolution in octopus. Nature 2023; 616:373-377. [PMID: 37045920 PMCID: PMC10228259 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05822-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Chemotactile receptors (CRs) are a cephalopod-specific innovation that allow octopuses to explore the seafloor via 'taste by touch'1. CRs diverged from nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to mediate contact-dependent chemosensation of insoluble molecules that do not readily diffuse in marine environments. Here we exploit octopus CRs to probe the structural basis of sensory receptor evolution. We present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of an octopus CR and compare it with nicotinic receptors to determine features that enable environmental sensation versus neurotransmission. Evolutionary, structural and biophysical analyses show that the channel architecture involved in cation permeation and signal transduction is conserved. By contrast, the orthosteric ligand-binding site is subject to diversifying selection, thereby mediating the detection of new molecules. Serendipitous findings in the cryo-electron microscopy structure reveal that the octopus CR ligand-binding pocket is exceptionally hydrophobic, enabling sensation of greasy compounds versus the small polar molecules detected by canonical neurotransmitter receptors. These discoveries provide a structural framework for understanding connections between evolutionary adaptations at the atomic level and the emergence of new organismal behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey A H Allard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Guipeun Kang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jeong Joo Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Wendy A Valencia-Montoya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ryan E Hibbs
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Nicholas W Bellono
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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13
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Novel object recognition in Octopus maya. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:1065-1072. [PMID: 36809584 PMCID: PMC10066149 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01753-6] [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: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
The Novel Object Recognition task (NOR) is widely used to study vertebrates' memory. It has been proposed as an adequate model for studying memory in different taxonomic groups, allowing similar and comparable results. Although in cephalopods, several research reports could indicate that they recognize objects in their environment, it has not been tested as an experimental paradigm that allows studying different memory phases. This study shows that two-month-old and older Octopus maya subjects can differentiate between a new object and a known one, but one-month-old subjects cannot. Furthermore, we observed that octopuses use vision and tactile exploration of new objects to achieve object recognition, while familiar objects only need to be explored visually. To our knowledge, this is the first time showing an invertebrate performing the NOR task similarly to how it is performed in vertebrates. These results establish a guide to studying object recognition memory in octopuses and the ontological development of that memory.
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14
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Gutnick T, Neef A, Cherninskyi A, Ziadi-Künzli F, Di Cosmo A, Lipp HP, Kuba MJ. Recording electrical activity from the brain of behaving octopus. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1171-1178.e4. [PMID: 36827988 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Octopuses, which are among the most intelligent invertebrates,1,2,3,4 have no skeleton and eight flexible arms whose sensory and motor activities are at once autonomous and coordinated by a complex central nervous system.5,6,7,8 The octopus brain contains a very large number of neurons, organized into numerous distinct lobes, the functions of which have been proposed based largely on the results of lesioning experiments.9,10,11,12,13 In other species, linking brain activity to behavior is done by implanting electrodes and directly correlating electrical activity with observed animal behavior. However, because the octopus lacks any hard structure to which recording equipment can be anchored, and because it uses its eight flexible arms to remove any foreign object attached to the outside of its body, in vivo recording of electrical activity from untethered, behaving octopuses has thus far not been possible. Here, we describe a novel technique for inserting a portable data logger into the octopus and implanting electrodes into the vertical lobe system, such that brain activity can be recorded for up to 12 h from unanesthetized, untethered octopuses and can be synchronized with simultaneous video recordings of behavior. In the brain activity, we identified several distinct patterns that appeared consistently in all animals. While some resemble activity patterns in mammalian neural tissue, others, such as episodes of 2 Hz, large amplitude oscillations, have not been reported. By providing an experimental platform for recording brain activity in behaving octopuses, our study is a critical step toward understanding how the brain controls behavior in these remarkable animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Gutnick
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Graduate University, Physics and Biology Unit, 904 0495 Okinawa, Japan; Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 26, 80126 Napoli, Italy.
| | - Andreas Neef
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Institute for the Dynamics of Complex Systems, University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Fabienne Ziadi-Künzli
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Graduate University, Nonlinear and Non-equilibrium Physics Unit, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Anna Di Cosmo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 26, 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Hans-Peter Lipp
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael J Kuba
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Graduate University, Physics and Biology Unit, 904 0495 Okinawa, Japan; Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 26, 80126 Napoli, Italy
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15
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Ren Z, Shao Y. Future bio-inspired robots require delicate structures. Front Robot AI 2022; 9:1073329. [PMID: 36618011 PMCID: PMC9811312 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2022.1073329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Ren
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany,*Correspondence: Ziyu Ren, ; Yuxiu Shao,
| | - Yuxiu Shao
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Computationnelles, INSERM U960, Ecole Normale Superieure—PSL Research University, Paris, France,*Correspondence: Ziyu Ren, ; Yuxiu Shao,
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16
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Kuuspalu A, Cody S, Hale ME. Multiple nerve cords connect the arms of octopuses, providing alternative paths for inter-arm signaling. Curr Biol 2022; 32:5415-5421.e3. [PMID: 36446353 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.11.007] [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: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Octopuses are remarkable in their ability to use many arms together during behavior (e.g., see Levy et al., 1 Mather,2 Byrne et al.,3 and Hanlon et al.4). Arm responses and multi-arm coordination can occur without engagement of major brain regions,5 which indicates the importance of local proprioceptive responses and peripheral connections. Here, we examine the intramuscular nerve cords (INCs),6,7,8,9 the key proprioceptive anatomy in the arms. INCs are understood to include proprioceptive neurons, multipolar neurons, and motoneurons (reviewed by Graziadei10) and are thought to contribute to structuring whole-arm movement.11 There are four INCs running the full length of each arm (e.g., see Guérin-Ganivet,6 Martoja and May,8 and Graziadei9); we focused on the pair closest to the suckers, called the oral INCs. In tracking the oral INCs, we found that they extend proximally and continue beyond the arm, through the arm's base. Each oral INC bypasses two adjacent arms and is continuous with the nearer oral INC of the third arm over. As a result, an arm connects through oral INC pathways to arms that are two arms away to the right and left of it. In addition to connecting distant arms, nerve fibers project from the central region of the INCs, suggesting function in local tissues. The other two INCs, paired aboral INCs, also extend proximally beyond the arm's base with trajectories suggestive of the oral INC pattern. These data identify previously unknown regions of the INCs that link distant arms, creating anatomical connections. They suggest potential INC proprioceptive function in extra-arm tissues and contribute to an understanding of embodied organization for octopus behavioral control.12,13,14,15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Kuuspalu
- Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Samantha Cody
- Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Melina E Hale
- Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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17
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Bidel F, Bennett NC, Wardill TJ. Octopus bimaculoides' arm recruitment and use during visually evoked prey capture. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4727-4733.e3. [PMID: 36130600 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Octopus' limb hyper-redundancy complicates traditional motor control system theory due to its extensive sensory inputs, subsequent decision-making, and arm coordination. Octopuses are thought to reduce flexibility control complexity by relying on highly stereotypical motor primitives (e.g., reaching1-4 and crawling5) and multi-level processes to coordinate movement,6,7 utilizing extensive peripheral nervous system (PNS) processing.2,8,9 Division of labor along the anterior-posterior axis10 and limb specialization of the four anterior arms in T-maze food retrieval11 further simplify control. However, specific arm recruitment and coordination during visually guided reaching behavior remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated visually evoked Octopus bimaculoides' prey capture capabilities12,13 by eliciting and examining prey-specific arm recruitment. When striking crabs, octopuses preferred synchronous arm recruitment, while sequential arm recruitment with a characteristic swaying movement is employed for shrimp. Such behavioral selection aligns with specific prey escape strategies and the octopus' flexible arm biomechanical constraints. Although side bias existed, we found significant bilateral symmetry, with one side being functionally a mirror of the other rather than anterior arm use being functionally equal and differing to posterior arm use. Among arms, the second limb is unequivocally dominant for goal-directed monocularly driven prey capture. Although the eight arms share gross anatomy and are considered equipotential,10,14 such arm use for specific actions could reflect subtle evolutionary adaptations. Finally, we quantitatively show, corroborating earlier observations,10,15 that octopuses employ a dimension reduction strategy by actively deciding to recruit adjacent arms over other available arms during either sequential or synchronous visually evoked prey attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavie Bidel
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Natalie C Bennett
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA; Department of Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Trevor J Wardill
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA; Department of Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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18
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Vergara-Ovalle F, Gonzalez-Navarrete A, Sánchez-Castillo H. Characterization of the Brain of the Red Mayan Octopus (Octopus maya Voss and Solis, 1966). J EVOL BIOCHEM PHYS+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0022093022050118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
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19
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Kwon KM, Pak JH, Jeon CJ. Immunocytochemical localization of the AMPA glutamate receptor subtype GluR2/3 in the squid optic lobe. Acta Histochem 2022; 124:151941. [PMID: 35963117 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151941] [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: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
As a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the cephalopod visual system, glutamate signaling is facilitated by ionotropic receptors, such as α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors (AMPAR). In cephalopods with large and well-developed brains, the optic lobes (OL) mainly process visual inputs and are involved in learning and memory. Although the presence of AMPAR in squid OL has been reported, the organization of specific AMPAR-containing neurons remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the immunocytochemical localization of the AMPA glutamate receptor subtype 2/3-immunoreactive (GluR2/3-IR) neurons in the OL of Pacific flying squid (Tordarodes pacificus). Morphologically diverse GluR2/3-IR neurons were predominantly located in the tangential zone of the medulla. Medium-to-large GluR2/3-IR neurons were also detected. The distribution patterns and cell morphologies of calcium-binding protein (CBP)-IR neurons, specifically calbindin-D28K (CB)-, calretinin (CR)-, and parvalbumin (PV)-IR neurons, were similar to those of GluR2/3-IR neurons. However, two-color immunofluorescence revealed that GluR2/3-IR neurons did not colocalize with the CBP-IR neurons. Furthermore, the specific localizations and diverse types of GluR2/3-IR neurons that do not express CB, CR, or PV in squid OL were determined. These findings further contribute to the existing data on glutamatergic visual systems and provide new insights for understanding the visual processing mechanisms in cephalopods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Min Kwon
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, BK21 FOUR KNU Creative BioResearch Group, College of Natural Sciences, Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea; Research Institute for Dok-do and Ulleung-do Island, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hong Pak
- Research Institute for Dok-do and Ulleung-do Island, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Jin Jeon
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, BK21 FOUR KNU Creative BioResearch Group, College of Natural Sciences, Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea; Research Institute for Dok-do and Ulleung-do Island, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.
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20
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Ponte G, Chiandetti C, Edelman DB, Imperadore P, Pieroni EM, Fiorito G. Cephalopod Behavior: From Neural Plasticity to Consciousness. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 15:787139. [PMID: 35495582 PMCID: PMC9039538 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.787139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is only in recent decades that subjective experience - or consciousness - has become a legitimate object of scientific inquiry. As such, it represents perhaps the greatest challenge facing neuroscience today. Subsumed within this challenge is the study of subjective experience in non-human animals: a particularly difficult endeavor that becomes even more so, as one crosses the great evolutionary divide between vertebrate and invertebrate phyla. Here, we explore the possibility of consciousness in one group of invertebrates: cephalopod molluscs. We believe such a review is timely, particularly considering cephalopods' impressive learning and memory abilities, rich behavioral repertoire, and the relative complexity of their nervous systems and sensory capabilities. Indeed, in some cephalopods, these abilities are so sophisticated that they are comparable to those of some higher vertebrates. Following the criteria and framework outlined for the identification of hallmarks of consciousness in non-mammalian species, here we propose that cephalopods - particularly the octopus - provide a unique test case among invertebrates for examining the properties and conditions that, at the very least, afford a basal faculty of consciousness. These include, among others: (i) discriminatory and anticipatory behaviors indicating a strong link between perception and memory recall; (ii) the presence of neural substrates representing functional analogs of thalamus and cortex; (iii) the neurophysiological dynamics resembling the functional signatures of conscious states in mammals. We highlight the current lack of evidence as well as potentially informative areas that warrant further investigation to support the view expressed here. Finally, we identify future research directions for the study of consciousness in these tantalizing animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Ponte
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | | | - David B. Edelman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Association for Cephalopod Research ‘CephRes' a non-profit Organization, Naples, Italy
| | - Pamela Imperadore
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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21
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Carls-Diamante S. Where Is It Like to Be an Octopus? Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:840022. [PMID: 35401127 PMCID: PMC8988249 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.840022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The cognitive capacities and behavioural repertoire of octopuses have led to speculation that these animals may possess consciousness. However, the nervous system of octopuses is radically different from those typically associated with conscious experience: rather than being centralised and profoundly integrated, the octopus nervous system is distributed into components with considerable functional autonomy from each other. Of particular note is the arm nervous system: when severed, octopus arms still exhibit behaviours that are nearly identical to those exhibited when the animal is intact. Given these factors, there is reason to speculate that if octopuses do possess consciousness, it may be of a form highly dissimilar to familiar models. In particular, it may be that the octopus arm is capable of supporting an idiosyncratic field of consciousness. As such, in addition to the likelihood that there is something it is like to be an octopus, there may also be something it is like to be an octopus arm. This manuscript explores this possibility.
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22
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Bhattacharjee S, Ceri Davies D, Holland JC, Holmes JM, Kilroy D, McGonnell IM, Reynolds AL. On the importance of integrating comparative anatomy and One Health perspectives in anatomy education. J Anat 2022; 240:429-446. [PMID: 34693516 PMCID: PMC8819042 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
As a result of many factors, including climate change, unrestricted population growth, widespread deforestation and intensive agriculture, a new pattern of diseases in humans is emerging. With increasing encroachment by human societies into wild domains, the interfaces between human and animal ecosystems are gradually eroding. Such changes have led to zoonoses, vector-borne diseases, infectious diseases and, most importantly, the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant microbial strains as challenges for human health. Now would seem to be an opportune time to revisit old concepts of health and redefine some of these in the light of emerging challenges. The One Health concept addresses some of the demands of modern medical education by providing a holistic approach to explaining diseases that result from a complex set of interactions between humans, environment and animals, rather than just an amalgamation of isolated signs and symptoms. An added advantage is that the scope of One Health concepts has now expanded to include genetic diseases due to advancements in omics technology. Inspired by such ideas, a symposium was organised as part of the 19th International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) Congress (August 2019) to investigate the scope of One Health concepts and comparative anatomy in contemporary medical education. Speakers with expertise in both human and veterinary anatomy participated in the symposium and provided examples where these two disciplines, which have so far evolved largely independent of each other, can collaborate for mutual benefit. Finally, the speakers identified some key concepts of One Health that should be prioritised and discussed the diverse opportunities available to integrate these priorities into a broader perspective that would attempt to explain and manage diseases within the scopes of human and veterinary medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - D. Ceri Davies
- Human Anatomy UnitDepartment of Surgery and CancerImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jane C. Holland
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative MedicineRoyal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health SciencesDublinIreland
| | | | - David Kilroy
- School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity College DublinDublinIreland
| | - Imelda M. McGonnell
- Department of Comparative Biomedical SciencesRoyal Veterinary CollegeLondonUK
| | - Alison L. Reynolds
- School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity College DublinDublinIreland
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical ResearchUniversity College DublinDublinIreland
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23
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Ni Y, Feng J, Liu J, Yu H, Wei H, Du Y, Liu L, Sun L, Zhou J, Xu W. An Artificial Nerve Capable of UV-Perception, NIR-Vis Switchable Plasticity Modulation, and Motion State Monitoring. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2102036. [PMID: 34716679 PMCID: PMC8728819 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202102036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The first flexible organic-heterojunction neuromorphic transistor (OHNT) that senses broadband light, including near-ultraviolet (NUV), visible (vis), and near-infrared (NIR), and processes multiplexed-neurotransmission signals is demonstrated. For UV perception, electrical energy consumption down to 536 aJ per synaptic event is demonstrated, at least one order of magnitude lower than current UV-sensitive synaptic devices. For NIR- and vis-perception, switchable plasticity by alternating light sources is yielded for recognition and memory. The device emulates multiplexed neurochemical transition of different neurotransmitters such as dopamine and noradrenaline to form short-term and long-term responses. These facilitate the first realization of human-integrated motion state monitoring and processing using a synaptic hardware, which is then used for real-time heart monitoring of human movement. Motion state analysis with the 96% accuracy is then achieved by artificial neural network. This work provides important support to future biomedical electronics and neural prostheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Ni
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Nankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of TianjinTianjin300350P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology of Ministry of EducationNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering of Nankai UniversityNational Institute for Advanced MaterialsNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Jiulong Feng
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Nankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of TianjinTianjin300350P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology of Ministry of EducationNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering of Nankai UniversityNational Institute for Advanced MaterialsNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Nankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of TianjinTianjin300350P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology of Ministry of EducationNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering of Nankai UniversityNational Institute for Advanced MaterialsNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Hang Yu
- College of Microelectronics and Communication EngineeringChongqing UniversityChongqing400044P. R. China
- No. 24 Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group CorporationChongqing400060P. R. China
| | - Huanhuan Wei
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Nankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of TianjinTianjin300350P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology of Ministry of EducationNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering of Nankai UniversityNational Institute for Advanced MaterialsNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Yi Du
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Nankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of TianjinTianjin300350P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology of Ministry of EducationNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering of Nankai UniversityNational Institute for Advanced MaterialsNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Lu Liu
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Nankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of TianjinTianjin300350P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology of Ministry of EducationNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering of Nankai UniversityNational Institute for Advanced MaterialsNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Lin Sun
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Nankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of TianjinTianjin300350P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology of Ministry of EducationNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering of Nankai UniversityNational Institute for Advanced MaterialsNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
| | - Jianlin Zhou
- College of Microelectronics and Communication EngineeringChongqing UniversityChongqing400044P. R. China
| | - Wentao Xu
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Nankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of TianjinTianjin300350P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology of Ministry of EducationNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
- College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering of Nankai UniversityNational Institute for Advanced MaterialsNankai UniversityTianjin300350P. R. China
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24
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Abstract
We propose an expansion of neuroecological comparisons to include the capabilities of brainless and non-neural organisms. We begin this enterprise by conducting a systematic search for studies on learning in echinoderms. Echinodermata are marine invertebrates comprising starfish, brittle stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and sea lilies. Animals in this phylum lack any centralized brain and instead possess diffuse neural networks known as nerve nets. The learning abilities of these animals are of particular interest as, within the bilaterian clade, they are close evolutionary neighbors to chordates, a phylum whose members exhibit complex feats in learning and contain highly specialized brains. The learning capacities and limitations of echinoderms can inform the evolution of nervous systems and learning in Bilateria. We find evidence of both non-associative and associative learning (in the form of classical conditioning) in echinoderms, which was primarily focused on starfish. Additional evidence of learning is documented in brittle stars, sand dollars, and sea urchins. We then discuss the evolutionary significance of learning capabilities without a brain, the presence of embodied cognition across multiple groups, and compare the learning present in echinoderms with the impressive cognitive abilities documented in the oldest linage group within vertebrates (the major group within the phylum of chordates), fish.
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Chung WS, Kurniawan ND, Marshall NJ. Comparative brain structure and visual processing in octopus from different habitats. Curr Biol 2021; 32:97-110.e4. [PMID: 34798049 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Octopods are masters of camouflage and solve complex tasks, and their cognitive ability is said to approach that of some small mammals. Despite intense interest and some research progress, much of our knowledge of octopus neuroanatomy and its links to behavior and ecology comes from one coastal species, the European common octopus, Octopus vulgaris. Octopod species are found in habitats including complex coral reefs and the relatively featureless mid-water. There they encounter different selection pressures, may be nocturnal or diurnal, and are mostly solitary or partially social. How these different ecologies and behavioral differences influence the octopus central nervous system (CNS) remains largely unknown. Here we present a phylogenetically informed comparison between diurnal and nocturnal coastal and a deep-sea species using brain imaging techniques. This study shows that characteristic neuroanatomical changes are linked to their habits and habitats. Enlargement and division of the optic lobe as well as structural foldings and complexity in the underlying CNS are linked to behavioral adaptation (diurnal versus nocturnal; social versus solitary) and ecological niche (reef versus deep sea), but phylogeny may play a part also. The difference between solitary and social life is mirrored within the brain including the formation of multiple compartments (gyri) in the vertical lobe, which is likened to the vertebrate cortex. These findings continue the case for convergence between cephalopod and vertebrate brain structure and function. Notably, within the current push toward comparisons of cognitive abilities, often with unashamed anthropomorphism at their root, these findings provide a firm grounding from which to work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Sung Chung
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Nyoman D Kurniawan
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - N Justin Marshall
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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26
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Gabella G. Spatial lay-out of various smooth muscles. J Smooth Muscle Res 2021; 57:19-34. [PMID: 34545005 PMCID: PMC8443803 DOI: 10.1540/jsmr.57.19] [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] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The characteristic mechanical activities of the smooth muscles found in all organs of the body are highly variable and depend mainly on the spatial arrangement of the muscle cells and the stroma: mass, orientation, relationships, links, constraints, which are deployed in various configurations. These structural features are examined here for their mechanical relevance, in light and electron microscopic views of several muscles of viscera and blood vessels, in a selection of mammalian species. Smooth muscles are incompressible and therefore maintain constant volume. They do not have available space and any movement of a part requires displacement of another part. Most of them have no terminations or points of attachment, and in hollow organs such as intestines, blood vessels and uro-genital tract they usually form structures closed onto themselves, such as rings or bag-like containers In these situations, changes in the size of the lumen is achieved very efficiently by a concentric inward enlargement that accompanies muscle contraction. The longitudinal arrangement of collagen blocks an elongation of small blood vessels upon contraction, further enhancing the efficiency of lumen reduction. In other muscles, links between layers and special arrangements of the stroma allow both shortening and elongation of a tubular organ to occur. The mechanics of smooth muscles has many characteristic features (some unique, some shared with those of hydrostats, some at variance with other muscles) and histological data are a contribution to our understanding of these properties.
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27
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Li S, Bai H, Liu Z, Zhang X, Huang C, Wiesner LW, Silberstein M, Shepherd RF. Digital light processing of liquid crystal elastomers for self-sensing artificial muscles. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/30/eabg3677. [PMID: 34301600 PMCID: PMC8302124 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg3677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Artificial muscles based on stimuli-responsive polymers usually exhibit mechanical compliance, versatility, and high power-to-weight ratio, showing great promise to potentially replace conventional rigid motors for next-generation soft robots, wearable electronics, and biomedical devices. In particular, thermomechanical liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) constitute artificial muscle-like actuators that can be remotely triggered for large stroke, fast response, and highly repeatable actuations. Here, we introduce a digital light processing (DLP)-based additive manufacturing approach that automatically shear aligns mesogenic oligomers, layer-by-layer, to achieve high orientational order in the photocrosslinked structures; this ordering yields high specific work capacity (63 J kg-1) and energy density (0.18 MJ m-3). We demonstrate actuators composed of these DLP printed LCEs' applications in soft robotics, such as reversible grasping, untethered crawling, and weightlifting. Furthermore, we present an LCE self-sensing system that exploits thermally induced optical transition as an intrinsic option toward feedback control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Hedan Bai
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Zheng Liu
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Chuqi Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lennard W Wiesner
- Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Meredith Silberstein
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Robert F Shepherd
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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van Giesen L, Kilian PB, Allard CAH, Bellono NW. Molecular Basis of Chemotactile Sensation in Octopus. Cell 2021; 183:594-604.e14. [PMID: 33125889 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Animals display wide-ranging evolutionary adaptations based on their ecological niche. Octopuses explore the seafloor with their flexible arms using a specialized "taste by touch" system to locally sense and respond to prey-derived chemicals and movement. How the peripherally distributed octopus nervous system mediates relatively autonomous arm behavior is unknown. Here, we report that octopus arms use a family of cephalopod-specific chemotactile receptors (CRs) to detect poorly soluble natural products, thereby defining a form of contact-dependent, aquatic chemosensation. CRs form discrete ion channel complexes that mediate the detection of diverse stimuli and transduction of specific ionic signals. Furthermore, distinct chemo- and mechanosensory cells exhibit specific receptor expression and electrical activities to support peripheral information coding and complex chemotactile behaviors. These findings demonstrate that the peripherally distributed octopus nervous system is a key site for signal processing and highlight how molecular and anatomical features synergistically evolve to suit an animal's environmental context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena van Giesen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Peter B Kilian
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Corey A H Allard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Nicholas W Bellono
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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Zhao Y, Lo CY, Ruan L, Pi CH, Kim C, Alsaid Y, Frenkel I, Rico R, Tsao TC, He X. Somatosensory actuator based on stretchable conductive photothermally responsive hydrogel. Sci Robot 2021; 6:6/53/eabd5483. [PMID: 34043561 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abd5483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mimicking biological neuromuscular systems' sensory motion requires the unification of sensing and actuation in a singular artificial muscle material, which must not only actuate but also sense their own motions. These functionalities would be of great value for soft robotics that seek to achieve multifunctionality and local sensing capabilities approaching natural organisms. Here, we report a soft somatosensitive actuating material using an electrically conductive and photothermally responsive hydrogel, which combines the functions of piezoresistive strain/pressure sensing and photo/thermal actuation into a single material. Synthesized through an unconventional ice-templated ultraviolet-cryo-polymerization technique, the homogenous tough conductive hydrogel exhibited a densified conducting network and highly porous microstructure, achieving a unique combination of ultrahigh conductivity (36.8 milisiemens per centimeter, 103-fold enhancement) and mechanical robustness, featuring high stretchability (170%), large volume shrinkage (49%), and 30-fold faster response than conventional hydrogels. With the unique compositional homogeneity of the monolithic material, our hydrogels overcame a limitation of conventional physically integrated sensory actuator systems with interface constraints and predefined functions. The two-in-one functional hydrogel demonstrated both exteroception to perceive the environment and proprioception to kinesthetically sense its deformations in real time, while actuating with near-infinite degrees of freedom. We have demonstrated a variety of light-driven locomotion including contraction, bending, shape recognition, object grasping, and transporting with simultaneous self-monitoring. When connected to a control circuit, the muscle-like material achieved closed-loop feedback controlled, reversible step motion. This material design can also be applied to liquid crystal elastomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusen Zhao
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Chiao-Yueh Lo
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lecheng Ruan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095., USA
| | - Chen-Huan Pi
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095., USA
| | - Cheolgyu Kim
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yousif Alsaid
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Imri Frenkel
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rossana Rico
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095., USA
| | - Tsu-Chin Tsao
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095., USA
| | - Ximin He
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. .,Califonia Nanosystems Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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30
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Katz I, Shomrat T, Nesher N. Feel the light: sight-independent negative phototactic response in octopus arms. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb.237529. [PMID: 33536305 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.237529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Controlling the octopus's flexible hyper-redundant body is a challenging task. It is assumed that the octopus has poor proprioception which has driven the development of unique mechanisms for efficient body control. Here we report on such a mechanism: a phototactic response of extraocular photoreception. Extraocular photoreception has been observed in many and diverse species. Previous research on cephalopods revealed that increased illumination on their skin evokes chromatophore expansion. Recently, the mechanism was investigated and has been termed 'light-activated chromatophore expansion' (LACE). In this work we show that in response to illumination, the arm tip reacts in a reflex-like manner, folding in and moving away from the light beam. We performed a set of behavioral experiments and surgical manipulations to elucidate and characterize this phototactic response. We found that in contrast to the local activation and control of LACE, the phototactic response is mediated by the brain, although it is expressed in a reflex-like pattern. Our research results and observations led us to propose that the phototaxis is a means for protecting the arms in an instinctive manner from potential daytime predators such as fish and crabs, that could identify the worm-like tips as food. Indeed, observations of the octopuses revealed that their arm tips are folded in during the daytime, whereas at night they are extended. Thus, the phototactic response might compensate for the octopus's poor proprioception by keeping their arms folded in illuminated areas, without the need to be aware of their state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itamar Katz
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel
| | - Tal Shomrat
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel
| | - Nir Nesher
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel
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31
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Abstract
Using the database Web of Science, a systematic search for literature on learning in Cnidaria, both non-associative and associative, was conducted. Cnidaria comprise hydras, box jellies, (true) jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones, a group of animals possessing diffuse networks of nerves known as nerve nets or neural nets. Being neighbors on the animal evolutionary tree to bilaterian animals, the vast collection of (mostly) bilaterally symmetric animals with brains ranging from tiny worms to giant whales, the cognitive capacities of Cnidaria inform the evolution of nervous systems and cognition in bilateria. I failed to find literature on learning in corals and box jellies. Habituation has been amply shown in hydras, jellyfish, and sea anemones, while sensitization has been studied in detail in sea anemones, including some neurobiological details in the release of nematocysts or poisoned darts for capturing prey. One well-controlled study found evidence for classical conditioning with shock in sea anemones, in addition to two other lesser-controlled demonstrations. The relevance of associative learning in sea anemones, embodied cognition, and representationsal issues when it comes to animals without central brains is discussed.
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32
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Schnell AK, Amodio P, Boeckle M, Clayton NS. How intelligent is a cephalopod? Lessons from comparative cognition. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:162-178. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Piero Amodio
- Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Naples Italy
| | - Markus Boeckle
- Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Karl Landsteiner University of Health Science Krems an der Donau Austria
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33
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Ibrahim G, Luisetto M, Latyshev O. Glial cells in the posterior sub-esophageal mass of the brain in Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) (decapodiformes-sepiida): ultrastructure and cytochemical studies. INVERTEBRATE NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 20:16. [PMID: 32876847 DOI: 10.1007/s10158-020-00249-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Electron microscopy revealed that glial cells in the posterior sub-esophageal mass of the brain in Sepia officinalis had a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum formed by long coverslips with rectilinear or curvilinear arrangements. The coverslips appeared dilated and have a large amount of adhered polysomes. Vesicular lamellae coexisted with the elongated lamellae of RER and dictyosomes of Golgi apparatus. Endocytosis was evidenced through the pale vesicles which were appeared next to the apical border of microvilli in some glial cells. Sub-cellular features of endocytosis, predominantly the fluid phase, were observed in the apical glial cell cytoplasm. Glial cells were related to phagocytosis of apoptotic neurons, endocytosis, pinocytosis and adsorption. These functions were proposed based on their ultrastructure characteristics and a significant number of vesicles with different shapes (oval to polygonal), sizes 0.052-0.67 µm and contents. Glycogen, MPS and lipid were detected in the glial cells. Alkaline phosphatase was not observed, while an activity of acid phosphatase was bound to lysosomes. ATPases were present in the glial cells along the lateral and basal plasma lemma as well as on the membranes of cell organelles. Unspecific esterase was clearly recognizable by electron microscopy. The monoamine and cytochrome oxidase activities were demonstrated, while the succinate dehydrogenase showed a weak enzyme activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Ibrahim
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21547, Egypt.
| | - M Luisetto
- Applied Pharmacology, IMA Academy, Natural Science Branch, Turin and Pavia University, Pavia, 29121, Italy
| | - O Latyshev
- Science and Democracy Network Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Cambridge, 02142, USA
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34
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Ibrahim G. Fine structure of the central brain in the octopod Eledone cirrhosa (Lamarck, 1798) (Mollusca-Octopoda). INVERTEBRATE NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 20:15. [PMID: 32840703 DOI: 10.1007/s10158-020-00250-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the fine structure of the different cell types in the central brain of Eledone cirrhosa; the organelles in the neurons and the glial cells; the glial hemolymph-brain barrier; the neuro-secretions and the relationships between glial and nerve cells. The brain is surrounded by a non-cellular neurilemma followed by a single layer of perilemmal cells. Ependymal cells, highly prismatic glial cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and epithelial processes were observed. The perikarya of the neurons are filled with slightly oval nuclei with heterochromatin, a strongly tortuous ER, numerous mitochondria and Golgi apparatus with two types of vesicles. In the cellular cortex, glial cells are much less numerous than the neurons and they are located preferably at the border between perikarya and neuropil. Furthermore, they send many branching shoots between the surrounding neuron perikarya and the axons. The glial cytoplasmic matrix appears more electrodense than that of the neurons. Only few ribosomes are attached to the membranes of the ER; the vast majorities are free. In the perikarya of the glial cells, mitochondria, multi-vesicular bodies, various vacuoles and vesicles are present. The essential elements of the hemolymph-brain barrier are the endothelial cells with their tight junctions. The cytoplasm contains various vesicles and mitochondria. However, two other cell types are present, the pericytes and the astrocytes, which are of great importance for the function of the hemolymph-brain barrier. The cell-cell interactions between endothelial cells, pericytes and astrocytes are as close as no other cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Ibrahim
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21547, Egypt.
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35
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Komatsu M, Yaguchi T, Nakajima K. Algebraic approach towards the exploitation of “softness”: the input–output equation for morphological computation. Int J Rob Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/0278364920912298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recently, soft robots that consist of soft and deformable materials have received much attention for their adaptability to uncertain environments. Although these robots are difficult to control with a conventional control theory owing to their complex body dynamics, research from different perspectives attempts to actively exploit these body dynamics as an asset rather than a drawback. This approach is called morphological computation, in which the soft materials are used for computation that includes a new kind of control strategy. In this article, we propose a novel approach to analyze the computational properties of soft materials based on an algebraic method, called the input–output equation used in systems analysis, particularly in systems biology. We mainly focus on the two scenarios relevant to soft robotics, that is, analysis of the computational capabilities of soft materials and design of the input force to soft devices to generate the target behaviors. The input–output equation directly describes the relationship between inputs and outputs of a system, and hence by using this equation, important properties, such as the echo state property that guarantees reproducible responses against the same input stream, can be investigated for soft structures. Several application scenarios of our proposed method are demonstrated using typical soft robotic settings in detail, including linear/nonlinear models and hydrogels driven by chemical reactions.
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36
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Albertin CB, Simakov O. Cephalopod Biology: At the Intersection Between Genomic and Organismal Novelties. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2020; 8:71-90. [PMID: 31815522 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-021419-083609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cephalopods are resourceful marine predators that have fascinated generations of researchers as well as the public owing to their advanced behavior, complex nervous system, and significance in evolutionary studies. Recent advances in genomics have accelerated the pace of cephalopod research. Many traditional areas focusing on evolution, development, behavior, and neurobiology, primarily on the morphological level, are now transitioning to molecular approaches. This review addresses the recent progress and impact of genomic and other molecular resources on research in cephalopods. We outline several key directions in which significant progress in cephalopod research is expected and discuss its impact on our understanding of the genetic background behind cephalopod biology and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline B Albertin
- Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA;
| | - Oleg Simakov
- Department of Molecular Evolutionary and Development, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
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37
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Shim H, Sim K, Ershad F, Yang P, Thukral A, Rao Z, Kim HJ, Liu Y, Wang X, Gu G, Gao L, Wang X, Chai Y, Yu C. Stretchable elastic synaptic transistors for neurologically integrated soft engineering systems. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaax4961. [PMID: 31646177 PMCID: PMC6788872 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax4961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Artificial synaptic devices that can be stretched similar to those appearing in soft-bodied animals, such as earthworms, could be seamlessly integrated onto soft machines toward enabled neurological functions. Here, we report a stretchable synaptic transistor fully based on elastomeric electronic materials, which exhibits a full set of synaptic characteristics. These characteristics retained even the rubbery synapse that is stretched by 50%. By implementing stretchable synaptic transistor with mechanoreceptor in an array format, we developed a deformable sensory skin, where the mechanoreceptors interface the external stimulations and generate presynaptic pulses and then the synaptic transistors render postsynaptic potentials. Furthermore, we demonstrated a soft adaptive neurorobot that is able to perform adaptive locomotion based on robotic memory in a programmable manner upon physically tapping the skin. Our rubbery synaptic transistor and neurologically integrated devices pave the way toward enabled neurological functions in soft machines and other applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunseok Shim
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Kyoseung Sim
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Faheem Ershad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Pinyi Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Anish Thukral
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Zhoulyu Rao
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Hae-Jin Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, 501, Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52828, Korea
| | - Yanghui Liu
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Guoying Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, Robotics Institute, and School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Li Gao
- Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays (KLOEID), Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Xinran Wang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yang Chai
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cunjiang Yu
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
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38
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Nesher N, Maiole F, Shomrat T, Hochner B, Zullo L. From synaptic input to muscle contraction: arm muscle cells of Octopus vulgaris show unique neuromuscular junction and excitation-contraction coupling properties. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191278. [PMID: 31455193 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The muscular-hydrostat configuration of octopus arms allows high manoeuvrability together with the efficient motor performance necessary for its multitasking abilities. To control this flexible and hyper-redundant system the octopus has evolved unique strategies at the various levels of its brain-to-body organization. We focus here on the arm neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and excitation-contraction (E-C) properties of the arm muscle cells. We show that muscle cells are cholinergically innervated at single eye-shaped locations where acetylcholine receptors (AChR) are concentrated, resembling the vertebrate neuromuscular endplates. Na+ and K+ contribute nearly equally to the ACh-activated synaptic current mediating membrane depolarization, thereby activating voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ channels. We show that cell contraction can be mediated directly by the inward Ca2+ current and also indirectly by calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) from internal stores. Indeed, caffeine-induced cell contraction and immunohistochemical staining revealed the presence and close association of dihydropyridine (DHPR) and ryanodine (RyR) receptor complexes, which probably mediate the CICR. We suggest that the dynamics of octopus arm contraction can be controlled in two ways; motoneurons with large synaptic inputs activate vigorous contraction via activation of the two routs of Ca2+ induced contraction, while motoneurons with lower-amplitude inputs may regulate a graded contraction through frequency-dependent summation of EPSP trains that recruit the CICR. Our results thus suggest that these motoneuronal pools are likely to be involved in the activation of different E-C coupling modes, thus enabling a dynamics of muscles activation appropriate for various tasks such as stiffening versus motion generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nir Nesher
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret, Israel
| | - Federica Maiole
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Tal Shomrat
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret, Israel
| | - Benyamin Hochner
- Department of Neurobiology, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Letizia Zullo
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.,IRCSS, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
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Naser Moghadasi A. When an octopus has MS: Application of neurophysiology and immunology of octopuses for multiple sclerosis. Med Hypotheses 2019; 131:109297. [PMID: 31443774 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109297] [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: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease which can cause different symptoms due to the involvement of different regions of the central nervous system (CNS). Although this disease is characterized by the demyelination process, the most important feature of the disease is its degenerative nature. This nature is clinically manifested as progressive symptoms, especially in patients' walking, which can even lead to complete debilitation. Therefore, finding a treatment to prevent the degenerative processes is one of the most important goals in MS studies. To better understand the process and the effect of drugs, scientists use animal models which mostly consisting of mouse, rat, and monkey. In evolutionary terms, octopuses belong to the invertebrates which have many substantial differences with vertebrates. One of these differences is related to the nervous system of these organisms, which is divided into central and peripheral parts. The difference lies in the fact that the main volume of this system expands in the limbs of these organisms instead of their brain. This offers a kind of freedom of action and processing strength in the octopus limbs. Also, the brain of these organisms follows a non-somatotopic model. Although the complex actions of this organism are stimulated by the brain, in contrast to the human brain, this activity is not related to a specific region of the brain; rather the entire brain area of the octopus is activated during a process. Indeed, the brain mapping or the topological perception of a particular action, such as moving the limbs, reflects itself in how that activity is distributed in the octopus brain neurons. Accordingly, various actions are known with varying degrees of activity of neurons in the brain of octopus. Another important feature of octopuses is their ability to regenerate defective tissues including the central and peripheral nervous system. These characteristics raise the question of what features can an octopus show when it is used as an organism to create experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Can the immune system damage of the octopus brain cause a regeneration process? Will the autonomy of the organs reduce the severity of the symptoms? This article seeks to provide evidence to prove that use of octopuses as laboratory samples for generation of EAE may open up new approaches for researchers to better approach MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi
- Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Thuruthel TG, Falotico E, Renda F, Flash T, Laschi C. Emergence of behavior through morphology: a case study on an octopus inspired manipulator. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2019; 14:034001. [PMID: 30947160 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ab1621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The complex motion abilities of the Octopus vulgaris have been an intriguing research topic for biologists and roboticists alike. Various studies have been conducted on the underlying control architectures employed by these high dimensional biological organisms. Researchers have attempted to replicate these architectures on robotic systems. Contrary to previous approaches, this study focuses on a robotic system, which is only morphologically similar to the Octopus vulgaris, and how it would behave under different control policies. This sheds light on the underlying optimality principles that these biological systems employ. Open loop control policies are obtained through a trajectory optimization method on a learned forward dynamic model. The motion patterns emerging from variations in morphology and environment were then derived to study the role of the body and environment. Results show that for the specific case of dynamic reaching with a soft appendage, the invariance in motion profile is a fundamental constraint imposed by the morphology and environment, independent from the controller. This suggests how morphological design can simplify stable control even for highly dimensional nonlinear dynamical systems and can provide insights into design of new soft robotic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas George Thuruthel
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera (Pisa), Italy. Author to whom correspondence may be addressed
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Motor control pathways in the nervous system of Octopus vulgaris arm. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2019; 205:271-279. [PMID: 30919046 PMCID: PMC6478645 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-019-01332-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The octopus’s arms have virtually infinite degrees of freedom, providing a unique opportunity for studying movement control in a redundant motor system. Here, we investigated the organization of the connections between the brain and arms through the cerebrobrachial tracts (CBT). To do this, we analyzed the neuronal activity associated with the contraction of a small muscle strand left connected at the middle of a long isolated CBT. Both electrical activity in the CBT and muscle contraction could be induced at low threshold values irrespective of stimulus direction and distance from the muscle strand. This suggests that axons associated with transmitting motor commands run along the CBT and innervate a large pool of motor neurons en passant. This type of innervation implies that central and peripheral motor commands involve the simultaneous recruitment of large groups of motor neurons along the arm as required, for example, in arm stiffening, and that the site of movement initiation along the arm may be determined through a unique interplay between global central commands and local sensory signals.
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Distributed cognition criteria: Defined, operationalized, and applied to human-dog systems. Behav Processes 2019; 162:167-176. [PMID: 30849516 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Distributed cognition generally refers to situations in which task requirements are shared among multiple agents or, potentially, off-loaded onto the environment. With few exceptions, socially distributed cognition has largely been discussed in terms of intraspecific interactions. This conception fails to capture some forms of group-level cognition among human and non-human animals that are not readily measured or explained in mentalistic or verbal terms. In response to these limitations, we argue for a more stringent set of empirically-verifiable criteria for assessing whether a system is an instance of distributed cognition: interaction-dominant dynamics, agency, and shared task orientation. We apply this framework to humans and working dogs, and contrast the human-dog socially distributed cognitive system with humans using non-biological tools and human interaction with draft animals. The human-dog system illustrates three operationalizable factors for classifying phenomena as socially distributed cognition and extends the framework to interspecies distributed cognition.
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Ponte G, Andrews P, Galligioni V, Pereira J, Fiorito G. Cephalopod Welfare, Biological and Regulatory Aspects: An EU Experience. Anim Welf 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-13947-6_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Amodio P, Boeckle M, Schnell AK, Ostojíc L, Fiorito G, Clayton NS. Grow Smart and Die Young: Why Did Cephalopods Evolve Intelligence? Trends Ecol Evol 2018; 34:45-56. [PMID: 30446408 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Intelligence in large-brained vertebrates might have evolved through independent, yet similar processes based on comparable socioecological pressures and slow life histories. This convergent evolutionary route, however, cannot explain why cephalopods developed large brains and flexible behavioural repertoires: cephalopods have fast life histories and live in simple social environments. Here, we suggest that the loss of the external shell in cephalopods (i) caused a dramatic increase in predatory pressure, which in turn prevented the emergence of slow life histories, and (ii) allowed the exploitation of novel challenging niches, thus favouring the emergence of intelligence. By highlighting convergent and divergent aspects between cephalopods and large-brained vertebrates we illustrate how the evolution of intelligence might not be constrained to a single evolutionary route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piero Amodio
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Markus Boeckle
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Ljerka Ostojíc
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy
| | - Nicola S Clayton
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Winlow W, Polese G, Moghadam HF, Ahmed IA, Di Cosmo A. Sense and Insensibility - An Appraisal of the Effects of Clinical Anesthetics on Gastropod and Cephalopod Molluscs as a Step to Improved Welfare of Cephalopods. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1147. [PMID: 30197598 PMCID: PMC6117391 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progress in animal welfare legislation stresses the need to treat cephalopod molluscs, such as Octopus vulgaris, humanely, to have regard for their wellbeing and to reduce their pain and suffering resulting from experimental procedures. Thus, appropriate measures for their sedation and analgesia are being introduced. Clinical anesthetics are renowned for their ability to produce unconsciousness in vertebrate species, but their exact mechanisms of action still elude investigators. In vertebrates it can prove difficult to specify the differences of response of particular neuron types given the multiplicity of neurons in the CNS. However, gastropod molluscs such as Aplysia, Lymnaea, or Helix, with their large uniquely identifiable nerve cells, make studies on the cellular, subcellular, network and behavioral actions of anesthetics much more feasible, particularly as identified cells may also be studied in culture, isolated from the rest of the nervous system. To date, the sorts of study outlined above have never been performed on cephalopods in the same way as on gastropods. However, criteria previously applied to gastropods and vertebrates have proved successful in developing a method for humanely anesthetizing Octopus with clinical doses of isoflurane, i.e., changes in respiratory rate, color pattern and withdrawal responses. However, in the long term, further refinements will be needed, including recordings from the CNS of intact animals in the presence of a variety of different anesthetic agents and their adjuvants. Clues as to their likely responsiveness to other appropriate anesthetic agents and muscle relaxants can be gained from background studies on gastropods such as Lymnaea, given their evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Winlow
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Institute of Ageing and Chronic Diseases, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- NPC Newton, Preston, United Kingdom
| | - Gianluca Polese
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Hadi-Fathi Moghadam
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Physiology Research Centre, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | | | - Anna Di Cosmo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Shigeno S, Andrews PLR, Ponte G, Fiorito G. Cephalopod Brains: An Overview of Current Knowledge to Facilitate Comparison With Vertebrates. Front Physiol 2018; 9:952. [PMID: 30079030 PMCID: PMC6062618 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cephalopod and vertebrate neural-systems are often highlighted as a traditional example of convergent evolution. Their large brains, relative to body size, and complexity of sensory-motor systems and behavioral repertoires offer opportunities for comparative analysis. Despite various attempts, questions on how cephalopod 'brains' evolved and to what extent it is possible to identify a vertebrate-equivalence, assuming it exists, remain unanswered. Here, we summarize recent molecular, anatomical and developmental data to explore certain features in the neural organization of cephalopods and vertebrates to investigate to what extent an evolutionary convergence is likely. Furthermore, and based on whole body and brain axes as defined in early-stage embryos using the expression patterns of homeodomain-containing transcription factors and axonal tractography, we describe a critical analysis of cephalopod neural systems showing similarities to the cerebral cortex, thalamus, basal ganglia, midbrain, cerebellum, hypothalamus, brain stem, and spinal cord of vertebrates. Our overall aim is to promote and facilitate further, hypothesis-driven, studies of cephalopod neural systems evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuichi Shigeno
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Paul L. R. Andrews
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, St. George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna Ponte
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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O’Brien CE, Roumbedakis K, Winkelmann IE. The Current State of Cephalopod Science and Perspectives on the Most Critical Challenges Ahead From Three Early-Career Researchers. Front Physiol 2018; 9:700. [PMID: 29962956 PMCID: PMC6014164 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, three researchers who have recently embarked on careers in cephalopod biology discuss the current state of the field and offer their hopes for the future. Seven major topics are explored: genetics, aquaculture, climate change, welfare, behavior, cognition, and neurobiology. Recent developments in each of these fields are reviewed and the potential of emerging technologies to address specific gaps in knowledge about cephalopods are discussed. Throughout, the authors highlight specific challenges that merit particular focus in the near-term. This review and prospectus is also intended to suggest some concrete near-term goals to cephalopod researchers and inspire those working outside the field to consider the revelatory potential of these remarkable creatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E. O’Brien
- Normandie Univ., UNICAEN, Rennes 1 Univ., UR1, CNRS, UMR 6552 ETHOS, Caen, France
- Association for Cephalopod Research – CephRes, Naples, Italy
| | - Katina Roumbedakis
- Association for Cephalopod Research – CephRes, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli Studi del Sannio, Benevento, Italy
| | - Inger E. Winkelmann
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Lopes VM, Sampaio E, Roumbedakis K, Tanaka NK, Carulla L, Gambús G, Woo T, Martins CPP, Penicaud V, Gibbings C, Eberle J, Tedesco P, Fernández I, Rodríguez-González T, Imperadore P, Ponte G, Fiorito G. Cephalopod biology and care, a COST FA1301 (CephsInAction) training school: anaesthesia and scientific procedures. INVERTEBRATE NEUROSCIENCE 2018. [PMID: 28620831 DOI: 10.1007/s10158-017-0200-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cephalopods are the sole invertebrates included in the list of regulated species following the Directive 2010/63/EU. According to the Directive, achieving competence through adequate training is a requisite for people having a role in the different functions (article 23) as such carrying out procedures on animals, designing procedures and projects, taking care of animals, killing animals. Cephalopod Biology and Care Training Program is specifically designed to comply with the requirements of the "working document on the development of a common education and training framework to fulfil the requirements under the Directive 2010/63/EU". The training event occurred at the ICM-CSIC in Barcelona (Spain) where people coming from Europe, America and Asia were instructed on how to cope with regulations for the use of cephalopod molluscs for scientific purposes. The training encompasses discussion on the guidelines for the use and care of animals and their welfare with particular reference to procedures that may be of interest for neuroscience. Intensive discussion has been carried out during the training sessions with focus on behavioural studies and paradigms, welfare assessment, levels of severity of scientific procedures, animal care, handling, transport, individual identification and marking, substance administration, anaesthesia, analgesia and humane killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa M Lopes
- MARE - Marine Environmental Sciences Centre, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- IPMA - Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, Avenida Brasília, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eduardo Sampaio
- MARE - Marine Environmental Sciences Centre, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Katina Roumbedakis
- AQUOS - Sanidade de Organismos Aquáticos, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Nobuaki K Tanaka
- Creative Research Institution, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan
| | - Lucía Carulla
- L'Aquàrium de Barcelona, Aspro Ocio S.A, Moll d'Espanya del Port Vell S/N, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guillermo Gambús
- ICM-CSIC - Instituto de Ciencias del Mar, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Theodosia Woo
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Max-von-Laue-Straße 4, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Catarina P P Martins
- ICM-CSIC - Instituto de Ciencias del Mar, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Virginie Penicaud
- LIENSs - Littoral Environnement et Sociétés, Université de La Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | | | - Jessica Eberle
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Max-von-Laue-Straße 4, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Perla Tedesco
- Sezione Biologia ed Evoluzione degli Organismi Marini, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, CoNISMa, Lecce, Italy
| | - Isabel Fernández
- Grupo de Investigación en Acuicultura (GIA), IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Crta. Taliarte s/n, 35214, Telde, Spain
| | - Tania Rodríguez-González
- IMIDA - Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Alimentario, Estación de Acuicultura Marina, Carretera del puerto s/n, Puerto de San Pedro del Pinatar, 30740, San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Giovanna Ponte
- Sezione Biologia ed Evoluzione degli Organismi Marini, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- Association for Cephalopod Research - CephRes, Naples, Italy
| | - Graziano Fiorito
- Sezione Biologia ed Evoluzione degli Organismi Marini, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.
- Association for Cephalopod Research - CephRes, Naples, Italy.
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Di Cosmo A, Maselli V, Polese G. Octopus vulgaris: An Alternative in Evolution. Results Probl Cell Differ 2018; 65:585-598. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92486-1_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
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50
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Abstract
Members of the phylum Mollusca demonstrate the animal kingdom's tremendous diversity of body morphology, size and complexity of the nervous system, as well as diversity of behavioral repertoires, ranging from very simple to highly flexible. Molluscs include Solenogastres, with their worm-like bodies and behavior (see phylogenetic tree; Figure 1); Bivalvia (mussels and clams), protected by shells and practically immobile; and the cephalopods, such as the octopus, cuttlefish and squid. The latter are strange-looking animals with nervous systems comprising up to half a billion neurons, which mediate the complex behaviors that characterize these freely moving, highly visual predators. Molluscs are undoubtedly special - their extraordinary evolutionary advance somehow managed to sidestep the acquisition of the rigid skeleton that appears essential to the evolution of other 'successful' phyla: the exoskeleton in ecdysozoan invertebrates and the internal skeleton in Deuterostomia, including vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binyamin Hochner
- Department of Neurobiology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - David L Glanzman
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, USA; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
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