Avian Neuromuscular Diversity: The Evolution of Muscle Morphology, Function and Development

[407367]动物的肌肉在数量、排列和功能上各不相同。这项研究旨在了解肌肉形态和功能之间的关系，以及这种关系如何随着时间的推移而变化。PI将研究鸟类大腿上的一组肌肉，称为大腿深背肌。在胚胎发育过程中，大量细胞分裂或分裂，形成成人的单个肌肉。有些鸟类，如鸡或珍珠鸡，有四个独立的大腿背部深层肌肉。然而，在其他鸟类中，深层背部肌肉群可能不会完全分裂，产生少于四块成年肌肉。例如，鸽子和鸭子只有三个深背，而飞禽只有两个。PI想知道这种数量和位置的变化对这些肌肉的功能有什么影响。使用细导线作为电极，PI将记录显示肌肉收缩时的电变化。先前的研究表明，当一只珍珠鸡走路或跑步时，大腿背部的深层肌肉在不同的时间处于活跃状态。少于四块肌肉的鸟类何时会有深背活动？新的肌肉会进化来执行新的功能或动作吗？当肌肉解剖结构发生变化时，神经系统是如何变化的？通过这些问题，PI希望更好地理解动物的设计和脊椎动物多样性的进化。＊＊＊

9407367 Gatesy Species of animals can differ in the number, arrangement and function of their muscles. This research seeks to understand the relationship between muscle form and function and how this can change with time. The PI will study a group of muscles in the thigh of birds called the deep dorsal thigh muscles. During embryonic development, a mass of cells breaks up, or cleaves, to form the individual muscles present in adults. Some birds, such as the chicken or guineafowl, have four separate deep dorsal thigh muscles. However, in other birds, the deep dorsal muscle mass may not cleave completely, yielding less than four adult muscles. For example, the pigeon and the duck only have three deep dorsals, while a roadrunner has only two. The PI is interested in knowing what effect this variation in number and position has on the function of these muscles. Using fine wires as electrodes, the PI will record electrical changes that reveal when a muscle is contracting. Previous studies have shown that as a guineafowl walks or runs, deep dorsal thigh muscles are active at different times in the stride. When will the deep dorsals be active in birds with fewer than four muscles? Do new muscles evolve to perform new functions or movements? How does the nervous system change when muscle anatomy changes? Through questions such as these, the PI hopes to gain a better understanding of animal design and the evolution of vertebrate diversity. ***