Colchicine reversibly inhibits electrical activity in arthropod mechanoreceptors

Abstract

Colchicine and some other microtubule‐active agents inhibit the electrical responses of cockroach tibial spine mechanoreceptors. Lumicolchicine, a colchicine analog which does not bind to microtubule protein, does not inhibit mechanoreceptive responses. Colchicine inhibition of peripheral mechanoreceptive responses is fully reversible and dose dependent, but colchicine has no effect on conduction in leg nerve axons. Colchicine inhibition is therefore an effect on the sensory dendrites or soma. The inhibition produced by colchicine could be produced by several effects. Colchicine may inhibit because it (1) disrupts the numerous intracellular microtubules which are a part of this sensory receptor's dendrite, (2) blocks axoplasmic transport of essential materials to the sensory dendrite, or (3) binds to tubulin or other proteins in the dendritic membrane.