Hormonal modulation of communication signals in electric fish.
Hormonal modulation of communication signals in electric fish.
复制标题
电鱼通讯信号的激素调节。
作者：
H. Zakon
类固醇激素对脊椎动物的行为有深远的影响。然而，在大多数情况下，我们既不能确定负责特定行为的神经元，也不能确定类固醇如何改变它们的兴奋性。电鱼放出性二型电器官放电(EOD)，其波形可通过类固醇处理而改变。这些通讯信号是由两种细胞类型组成的延髓起搏核(PMN)产生的。中性粒细胞突触的输出神经元与脊髓运动神经元相连，然后支配电器官。PMN只从两个来源接收输入，这两个来源负责在社交互动期间发生的短暂调制。EOD产生电路中细胞的数量少和固定的电行为，以及它们用于生物物理记录的通道，使它们成为研究类固醇对已识别细胞作用的便捷模型系统。
Steroid hormones have profound effects on vertebrate behaviors. Yet, in most cases we can neither identify the neurons responsible for particular behaviors nor how steroids alter their excitability. Electric fish emit sexually dimorphic electric organ discharges (EODs) the waveform of which may be altered by steroid treatment. These communication signals are generated by a medullary pacemaker nucleus (PMN) composed of two cell types. The output neurons of the PMN synapse on spinal cord electromotoneurons which then innervate the electric organ. The PMN receives input from only two sources, and these are responsible for brief modulations that occur during social interactions. The small numbers and stereotyped electrical behaviors of the cells in the EOD-generating circuitry and their access for biophysical recording makes them a convenient model system to study the actions of steroids on identified cells.