Development of specific responses in antennal taste hairs after ecdysis. An electrophysiological investigation of the cockroach, Periplaneta brunnea.
Spike generation in cockroach antennal taste hairs of nymphs appears to follow the same rules as in adults analysed previously. After ecdysis, taste hairs on the proximal segments responded earlier than those on distal ones. Shorter hairs became active before longer ones. The mechanoreceptor responded before the chemoreceptors. During a transient period, 3-5 hours after ecdysis, all four chemoreceptors and also the mechanoreceptor were sensitive to 150mM KCl. Spikes elicited by 75 mM KCl were generated predominantly in the outer dendritic segments. They did not differ in shape and frequency when 60mM sucrose was added. The earliest sign of a specific reaction to sucrose was observed approximately 4-5 hours after ecdysis, when the mixture of sucrose and KCl elicited more spikes than KCl alone.
Hansen-Delkeskamp
E
E
Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93040, Regensburg, Germany