8. THE LATERAL LINE ORGAN MECHANORECEPTORS
249
Fig. 8. Section through one neuromast in Necturms maculosus: hc, hair cells; c,
cupula; sc, supporting cells; and e, epidermis.
was recently successfully done in the epidermal organs in Necturus
maculosus (Harris et al., 1970), which is a suitable organ for this kind
of work because of the large size of its hair cells. Such potentials can also
be recorded from the canal organ of Lota lota although the hair cells
here are quite small.
A. Methods in Physiological Study
Figure 9 shows the experimental arrangement for recording from
Necturus hair cells. The tram-line pattern of innervation of the neuromasts
within the stitch allows nerve action potentials excited from one neuromast by vibratory stimulation (by the capillary tube A ) to be recorded in
the neighboring organ (by electrode C ) . This way the sensitivity of the
organ recorded from (with the intracellular electrode B) can be
monitored throughout the experiment. In the canal organ the cupula can
be driven directly by coupling a glass tube to the top of the cupula,
in this situation the stimulus amplitude, direction, and phase relations
can be well controlled. The use of a stepmotor to drive the microelectrode
aids the penetration of the cell wall. That the origin of the response is a
249
Fig. 8. Section through one neuromast in Necturms maculosus: hc, hair cells; c,
cupula; sc, supporting cells; and e, epidermis.
was recently successfully done in the epidermal organs in Necturus
maculosus (Harris et al., 1970), which is a suitable organ for this kind
of work because of the large size of its hair cells. Such potentials can also
be recorded from the canal organ of Lota lota although the hair cells
here are quite small.
A. Methods in Physiological Study
Figure 9 shows the experimental arrangement for recording from
Necturus hair cells. The tram-line pattern of innervation of the neuromasts
within the stitch allows nerve action potentials excited from one neuromast by vibratory stimulation (by the capillary tube A ) to be recorded in
the neighboring organ (by electrode C ) . This way the sensitivity of the
organ recorded from (with the intracellular electrode B) can be
monitored throughout the experiment. In the canal organ the cupula can
be driven directly by coupling a glass tube to the top of the cupula,
in this situation the stimulus amplitude, direction, and phase relations
can be well controlled. The use of a stepmotor to drive the microelectrode
aids the penetration of the cell wall. That the origin of the response is a