QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by PHILLIPS, C. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by PHILLIPS, C. E.

Journal of Experimental Biology 88,249-258 (1980)
Published by Company of Biologists 1980

An Arthropod Muscle Innervated by Nine Excitatory Motor Neurones

CHRISTINE E. PHILLIPS ¹

¹ Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, U.S.A.; Department of Biology, Gilmer Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22901, U.S.A.

The anatomical and physiological organization of the locust metathoracic flexor tibiae was examined by a combination of intracellular recording and electron microscopy. Nine excitatory motor neurones, three fast, three intermediate and three slow innervate the muscle; each is uniquely identifiable using a combination of physiological response and soma location. A simple spatial distribution of inputs to the muscle from the individual motor neurones was not found. Individual muscle fibres responded to as many as seven of the motor neurones in various combinations.

The muscle fibres are heterogeneous, ranging from slow (tonic) to fast (phasic) in a continuum from predominantly phasic proximally to tonicdistally. This is demonstrated by contraction and relaxation rates to directand indirect stimulation, as well as contraction elicited by action potentials in a single flexor motor neurone. The fast and slow contractile properties of the muscle fibres are matched by appropriate ultrastructures.

Such a high degree of complexity of neuromuscular innervation as that found in the metathoracic flexor tibiae has not previously been described for an arthropod muscle.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. L. Page, J. Zakotnik, V. Durr, and T. Matheson Motor Control of Aimed Limb Movements in an Insect J Neurophysiol, February 1, 2008; 99(2): 484 - 499. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Zakotnik, T. Matheson, and V. Durr Co-contraction and passive forces facilitate load compensation of aimed limb movements. J. Neurosci., May 10, 2006; 26(19): 4995 - 5007. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. Belanger Contrasting Tactics in Motor Control by Vertebrates and Arthropods Integr. Comp. Biol., August 1, 2005; 45(4): 672 - 678. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Nishino Motor output characterizing thanatosis in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus J. Exp. Biol., October 15, 2004; 207(22): 3899 - 3915. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Sasaki and M. Burrows Proprioceptors monitoring forces in a locust hind leg during kicking form negative feedback loops with flexor tibiae motor neurons J. Exp. Biol., February 15, 2003; 206(4): 759 - 769. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]