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The Effects of Potassium and Muscle Homogenate on Proprioceptive Responses in Crayfish and Crab
Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology (2017)
  • Cole Malloy, University of Kentucky
  • Viresh Dayaram, University of Kentucky
  • Sarah Martha, University of Kentucky
  • Brenda Alvarez, University of Kentucky
  • Ikenna Chukwudolue, University of Kentucky
  • Nadera Dabbain, University of Kentucky
  • Dlovan D. Mahmood, University of Kentucky
  • Slavina Goleva, University of Kentucky
  • Tori Hickey, University of Kentucky
  • Angel Ho, University of Kentucky
  • Molly King, University of Kentucky
  • Paige Kington, University of Kentucky
  • Matthew Mattingly, University of Kentucky
  • Samuel Potter, University of Kentucky
  • Landon Simpson, University of Kentucky
  • Amanda Spence, University of Kentucky
  • Henry Uradu, University of Kentucky
  • Jacob Van Doorn, University of Kentucky
  • Kristin Weineck, Rostock University
  • Robin L. Cooper, University of Kentucky
Abstract
Proprioception of limbs and joints is a basic sensory function throughout most of the animal kingdom. It is important to understand how proprioceptive organs and the associated sensory neurons function with altered environments such as increased potassium ion concentrations ([K+]) from diseased states, ionic imbalances, and damaged tissues. These factors can drastically alter neuronal activity. To assess this matter, we used the chordotonal organ in a walking leg of a blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and the muscle receptor organ of the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). These organs serve as tractable models for the analysis of proprioception. The preparations can help serve as translational models for these effects, which may be observed in other invertebrate species as well as mammalian species (including humans). When extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]o) is increased to 20 mM in both preparations, mixed results are observed with activity increasing in some preparations and decreasing in others after mechanical displacement. However, when [K+]o is increased to 40 mM, activity drastically decreases in all preparations. Additionally, proprioceptor sensory activity declines upon exposure to a diluted muscle homogenate, which contains a host of intracellular constituents. The robust effects of altered [K+] on proprioception in these models illuminate the potential detriments on neuronal function in cases of severe tissue damage as well as altered [K+]o.
Keywords
  • potassium,
  • muscle homogenate,
  • crayfish,
  • crab,
  • proprioception
Publication Date
July, 2017
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.2096
Citation Information
Cole Malloy, Viresh Dayaram, Sarah Martha, Brenda Alvarez, et al.. "The Effects of Potassium and Muscle Homogenate on Proprioceptive Responses in Crayfish and Crab" Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology Vol. 327 Iss. 6 (2017) p. 366 - 379 ISSN: 2471-5646
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/robin_cooper/130/