Detection of weak electric fields by sharks, rays, and skates.

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.) · 1998 · Unclear · Insufficient evidence

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UnclearInsufficient evidencePaper 4048

Study snapshot

PublicationChaos (Woodbury, N.Y.) · 1998

Study typeother

Reported directionUnclear

Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

The elasmobranchs-sharks, rays, and skates-can detect very weak electric fields in their aqueous environment through a complex sensory system, the ampullae of Lorenzini. The ampullae are conducting tubes that connect the surface of the animal to its interior. In the presence of an electric field, the potential of the surface of the animal will differ from that of the interior and that potential is applied across the apical membrane of the special sensory cells that line the ampullae. The firing rate of the afferent neurons that transmit signals from the ampullae has been shown to vary with that potential. We show that those firing rates can be described quantitatively in terms of synchronous firing of the sensory cells that feed the neurons. We demonstrate that such synchronism follows naturally from a hypothetical weak cell-to-cell interaction that results in a self-organization of the sensory cells. Moreover, the pulse rates of those cells-and the neurons that service the cells-can be expected to vary with the imposed electric fields in accord with measured values through actions of voltage gated transmembrane proteins in the apical sector of the cell membranes that admit Ca(++) ions. We also present a more conjectural model of signal processing at the neuron level that could exploit small differences in firing rates of nerve fibers servicing different ampullae to send an unambiguous signal to the central nervous system of the animal. (c) 1998 American Institute of Physics.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeother

Effect directionunclear

PopulationElasmobranchs (sharks, rays, skates)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureNot supplied

Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 66% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

The paper presents quantitative and mechanistic models suggesting that afferent neuron firing rates in the ampullae of Lorenzini can be described by synchronous firing of sensory cells, potentially arising from weak cell-to-cell interactions and influenced by voltage-gated membrane proteins admitting Ca(++) ions. It also proposes a more conjectural neuron-level signal processing model that could use small differences in firing rates across ampullae to generate an unambiguous signal.

Outcomes measured

Afferent neuron firing rate responses to imposed electric fields (ampullae of Lorenzini)
Proposed mechanisms/models: synchronous firing of sensory cells; weak cell-to-cell interaction/self-organization; voltage-gated transmembrane proteins admitting Ca(++) ions
Conjectural neuron-level signal processing model based on differences in firing rates across ampullae

Limitations

Appears primarily theoretical/modeling; no experimental design, exposure parameters, or quantitative results are provided in the abstract
Key elements are described as hypothetical or conjectural in the abstract
No sample size or measurement details reported in the abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "other",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Elasmobranchs (sharks, rays, skates)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Afferent neuron firing rate responses to imposed electric fields (ampullae of Lorenzini)",
    "Proposed mechanisms/models: synchronous firing of sensory cells; weak cell-to-cell interaction/self-organization; voltage-gated transmembrane proteins admitting Ca(++) ions",
    "Conjectural neuron-level signal processing model based on differences in firing rates across ampullae"
  ],
  "main_findings": "The paper presents quantitative and mechanistic models suggesting that afferent neuron firing rates in the ampullae of Lorenzini can be described by synchronous firing of sensory cells, potentially arising from weak cell-to-cell interactions and influenced by voltage-gated membrane proteins admitting Ca(++) ions. It also proposes a more conjectural neuron-level signal processing model that could use small differences in firing rates across ampullae to generate an unambiguous signal.",
  "effect_direction": "unclear",
  "limitations": [
    "Appears primarily theoretical/modeling; no experimental design, exposure parameters, or quantitative results are provided in the abstract",
    "Key elements are described as hypothetical or conjectural in the abstract",
    "No sample size or measurement details reported in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.66,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "elasmobranchs",
    "sharks",
    "rays",
    "skates",
    "ampullae of Lorenzini",
    "electroreception",
    "weak electric fields",
    "afferent neurons",
    "synchronous firing",
    "self-organization",
    "voltage-gated proteins",
    "calcium ions"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1063/1.166339
PubMed: 12779761

Read the original paper →

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