Mechanisms of Magnetoreception

IBN：9724083 PI：Phillips许多动物被认为利用地磁信息来定位和导航行为，但可能负责磁性探测的感官机制的身份在很大程度上仍不清楚。行为和神经生理学证据表明，可能有不止一种磁感应机制。该项目利用火蜥蜴作为研究磁寻的行为的模型系统，来表征和定位可能的磁传感机制。涉及改变磁场和不同特定环境光的行为实验将被用来确定磁效应是可能作用于光感受器，还是直接作用于体内的一些磁性敏感粒子。研究结果对于为感觉神经生物学中这个极具争议的话题提供一些答案将是很重要的。

IBN: 9724083 PI: PHILLIPS There are many animals believed to use geomagnetic information for orientation and navigation behavior, but the identity of the sensory mechanisms that might be responsible for magnetic detection remain largely unknown. Behavioral and neurophysiological evidence suggest that there may be more than one magnetoreceptive mechanism. This project utilizes salamanders as a model system for studying magnetic homing behavior, to characterize and localize putative magnetosensory mechanisms. Behavioral experiments involving altered magnetic fields and different particular environmental light will be used to determine whether a magnetic effect might act on photoreceptors or instead directly on some magnetically sensitive particles in the body. Results will be important in providing some answers for this very controversial topic in sensory neurobiology.