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Phasic and tonic components of gustatory response in the frog
The American Journal of Physiology
|October 1, 1976
Summary
Phasic responses in frog glossopharyngeal nerves occur during environmental changes like salt concentration or temperature shifts. Tonic responses, however, reflect a stable receptor membrane state, independent of these dynamic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Physiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The frog glossopharyngeal nerve plays a crucial role in sensory perception.
- Understanding nerve responses to environmental stimuli is key to sensory physiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the characteristics of phasic and tonic responses of the frog glossopharyngeal nerve.
- To determine the influence of varying conditions on these nerve responses.
Main Methods:
- Examining phasic and tonic responses to various salts (NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, CaCl2) under different adapting solution concentrations.
- Assessing responses to abrupt temperature changes in stimulating solutions.
- Investigating the effects of mercury ion (Hg2+) binding and removal on nerve responses.
Main Results:
- Phasic responses were significantly affected by salt concentration in adapting solutions, while tonic responses remained independent.
- Abrupt temperature increases elicited phasic responses, with magnitude dependent on species and salt concentration.
- Mercury binding and rapid removal induced phasic responses, whereas slow removal did not.
Conclusions:
- Phasic responses are triggered by environmental changes (e.g., salt concentration, temperature) and are proportional to the rate of change.
- Tonic responses represent the receptor membrane's equilibrium state.
- Phasic responses are hypothesized to result from dynamic conformational changes in the receptor membrane.