Extracellular signal fluctuations in shark electrosensors

Brandon R. Brown D.V.M.; Mary E. Hughes; John C. Hutchison

doi:10.1117/12.498789

30 April 2003 Extracellular signal fluctuations in shark electrosensors

Brandon R. Brown D.V.M., Mary E. Hughes, John C. Hutchison

Proceedings Volume 5110, Fluctuations and Noise in Biological, Biophysical, and Biomedical Systems; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.498789
Event: SPIE's First International Symposium on Fluctuations and Noise, 2003, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Abstract

We examine the roll of an extracellular gel in the functioning of the electrosensors of elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays). Here we focus on physical characteristics of the gel and their mechanistic relevance to the observed functioning of the electrosensors. The electrosensitive organs show sharp transient responses to both tiny electrical fluctuations and temperature fluctuations. We present a thermoelectric characterization of the gel. The data suggest a gel-mediated mechanism of transducing thermal fluctuations to electrical fluctuations in the electrosensor, independent of the sensing cells. We also present frequency-dependent electrical properties of the gel collected using electrical impedance spectroscopy. From these measurements we try to extract characteristic relaxation times. We analyze these results within the context of the electrosensors’ bandwidth, as demonstrated in previous behavioral experiments.

Citation Download Citation

Brandon R. Brown D.V.M., Mary E. Hughes, and John C. Hutchison "Extracellular signal fluctuations in shark electrosensors", Proc. SPIE 5110, Fluctuations and Noise in Biological, Biophysical, and Biomedical Systems, (30 April 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.498789

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