COLLAB: From Structure to Information in Mechanosensory Systems. The role of Sensor Morphology in Detecting Fluid Signals.

协作：从机械感觉系统的结构到信息。

• 批准号: 0718832
• 负责人: David Fields
• 金额: $ 32.25万
• 依托单位: Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0718832&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: COLLAB; Structure; Information; Mechanosensory; Systems.

Copepods present a spectacular diversity of antennule and setal morphologies, orientations and degree of ornamentation. The causes and consequences of this diversity remain unexplored, but the staggering degree of morphological variation suggests structure-function relationships between mechanosensor properties and their sensory roles. Using copepods as a model system, this work will address the relationship between the shape of mechanosensory structures and their movement under non steady-state fluid conditions. The goal of this project is to quantify the relationship between fluid motion and sensory morphology. Scanning electron microscopic measurements of the size and width of different setae and transmission electron microscopic measurements of cuticular thickness and the extent of the dendritic penetration up the shaft of individual mechanoreceptors will be made for three species of copepods. The force required to bend the seta and the physiological response of individual hairs to the well described flows created in the lab will be quantified with respect to the physical characteristics of the receptor. The empirical data will be used to build two interacting models: Finite Element Method (FEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The FEM will be used to model the motion of individual seta with known morphology and bending characteristics while the CFD will be used to calculate the hydrodynamic force and torque applied to each region of the seta and the influence of the seta on the surrounding flow. These data are fundamental to understanding how these small, neurologically simple organisms can distinguish from the myriad of biologically and physically induced fluid movements. The project includes several self-contained sub-projects that will provide exceptional opportunities for motivated undergraduate students to receive hands-on research experience learning sophisticated culturing techniques, the fundamentals of optics, microvideography, neurophysiology and the power of numerical simulations. High school students will also be invited into the lab to maintain cultures and help the undergraduate students with their projects. The PI will also work with the COSEE program (designed to bring ocean science to rural areas) and the ''Keller Bloom'' project which provides a week long science immersion course to gifted high school students from rural Maine. Results of the project will also contribute to the development of other BLOS educational and outreach programs, most notably the Phytopia project http://www.bigelow.org/phytopia/) and a weekly summer seminar series open to the public.

桡足类的触角和刚毛的形态，方向和程度的壮观的多样性。这种多样性的原因和后果仍然未被探索，但形态变化的惊人程度表明机械传感器特性和它们的感觉作用之间的结构-功能关系。以桡足类为模型系统，研究非稳态流体条件下机械感觉结构的形状与运动之间的关系。该项目的目标是量化流体运动和感官形态之间的关系。扫描电子显微镜测量的大小和宽度不同的刚毛和表皮厚度和树突的渗透程度的轴的个人mechanoreceptors的透射电子显微镜测量将为三种桡足类。 弯曲刚毛所需的力和个体毛发对实验室中产生的良好描述的流动的生理反应将相对于受体的物理特性进行量化。 经验数据将用于建立两个相互作用的模型：有限元法（FEM）和计算流体动力学（CFD）。FEM将用于模拟具有已知形态和弯曲特性的单个刚毛的运动，而CFD将用于计算施加到刚毛每个区域的流体动力和扭矩以及刚毛对周围流动的影响。这些数据对于理解这些小的、神经学上简单的生物体如何区分无数的生物和物理诱导的流体运动至关重要。该项目包括几个独立的子项目，这些子项目将为有动力的本科生提供特殊的机会，以获得实践研究经验，学习复杂的培养技术，光学基础，显微摄像，神经生理学和数值模拟的力量。 高中生也将被邀请到实验室，以保持文化和帮助本科生与他们的项目。PI还将与COSEE计划（旨在将海洋科学带到农村地区）和“凯勒布卢姆”项目合作，该项目为来自缅因州农村的天才高中生提供为期一周的科学沉浸课程。该项目的成果还将有助于制定BLOS的其他教育和推广方案，最值得注意的是植物学项目（http：//www.bigelow.org/phytopia/）和每周向公众开放的夏季系列研讨会。