The Influence of Certain Drugs on the Crustacean Nerve-Muscle System

Ellis, C. H.; Thienes, Clinton H.; Wiersma, C. A. G.

doi:10.2307/1538232

Cited by 41 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…In calculating percentage inhibitions, C. and Cei were always measured from neighbouring contractions. Occasionally the I fibre was stimulated alone; in our experiments this never caused a contraction of the opener muscle (Ellis et al 1942).…”

mentioning

confidence: 51%

“…The picrotoxin may decrease the ability of a given frequency of I fibre stimulation to cause inhibition. Or, the picrotoxin may increase the ability of a given frequency of E fibre stimulation to cause contraction (Ellis et al 1942). Either eventuality would present the same outward effect.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since that time it has been clear that the discovery of a drug which blocked peripheral inhibition might open the way for a chemical understanding of the inhibitory process. A search for this drug was undertaken by Ellis, Thienes & Wiersma (1942) who tested numbers of chemicals without avail. So far only one drug has been found to block peripheral inhibition.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The claw was prepared in a fashion similar to that employed by Ellis et al (1942). The meropodite segment, containing the fibres, was immersed in perfusion solution held in a small container.…”

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confidence: 99%

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The effect of picrotoxin on peripheral inhibition in the crayfish

Robbins¹,

Kloot²

1958

The Journal of Physiology

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The experiments of Biedermann (1887) and of Hoffmann (1914) on peripheral inhibition in crustacean muscle have given us an accessible preparation for the study of an inhibitory process. Since that time it has been clear that the discovery of a drug which blocked peripheral inhibition might open the way for a chemical understanding of the inhibitory process. A search for this drug was undertaken by Ellis, Thienes & Wiersma (1942) who tested numbers of chemicals without avail. So far only one drug has been found to block peripheral inhibition. The effective drug is picrotoxin (Van der Kloot, Robbins & Cooke, 1958).In this paper we shall give the reasons for believing that picrotoxin selectively interferes with the inhibitory process and shall report experiments conducted to uncover the site and manner of action of the drug. It is worth remembering at the onset that picrotoxin when injected into either a vertebrate or a crustacean (Florey, 1951) has a convulsant effect. Moreover, the physical events occurring in the crustacean peripheral inhibitory process resemble in many ways the physical events occurring at those inhibitory synapses of vertebrates which have been studied in detail (Eccles, 1957). These facts suggest that the action of picrotoxin on crayfish muscle may be of some general interest. METHODSAnimals. The experiments were performed on the crayfish, OrconeAtes immunis (Hagen).The animals were collected near Ithaca, N.Y. Collections were made about every 4 days and the crayfish were stored in tanks of either pond or running tap water. Some of the crayfish were kept in a cold room at about 6°C and then brought slowly to room temperature before being used in an experiment.

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mentioning

confidence: 51%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effect of picrotoxin on peripheral inhibition in the crayfish

Robbins¹,

Kloot²

1958

The Journal of Physiology

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“…Ellis et al (1) found several drugs to induce repetitive firing in crayfish axons. Welsh and Gordon (2) also found several compounds which produced multiple responses in the crayfish axon, among which were paradichlorobenzene, naphthalene, DOT, and several D O T analogs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oscillatory Behavior of the Squid Axon Membrane Potential

Sjodin

Mullins

1958

The Journal of General Physiology

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Squid axons impaled with a microelectrode have been treated with concentrations of xylene and benzene such that there is no change in threshold or resting potential at 20°C., while the spike height declines about 10 inv. A decrease in ambient temperature results in large, reversible, increases in threshold. While neither low temperature nor the added blocking agent induces repetitive firing from a single stimulus, the two treatments when combined do yield repetitive responses which commence at a sharply defined temperature. The alteration in the membrane responsible for the effects observed can be described by saying that there has been a large increase in the inductance of the equivalent electric circuit, and the temperature coefficient of the apparent membrane inductance has a Q~o = 5.

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Fine structural localization of acetylcholinesterase in sensory and motor neurons of the muscle receptor organ in Homarus

Nadol

Brzin

Lorenzo

1970

J of Comparative Neurology

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Histochemical techniques with the electron microscope for the localization of specific acetylcholinesterase and non-specific cholinesterases have been applied to preparations of the abdominal muscle receptor organ, or stretch receptor, of the lobster. Reaction product specific for AChE was found to be localized in a discrete but interrupted fashion on the external surface of the cell membranes of both the fast and slow sensory neurons at the levels of axon, cell body, large and small dendritic processes, and fine dendritic terminations. Reaction product specific for AChE was also found on the external surface of the limiting membranes of motor axons, but not at neuromuscular endings. Non-specific ChE was limited to cytoplasmic vacuoles and cisternae of the Schwann cells of the neural sheaths. These findings leiid support to the hypothesis that in the lobster the ACh system may mediate membrane excitability of nerve fibers. Furthermore, at the level of dendritic terminations this system may mediate the transduction of mechanical into electrical energy via reversible permeability changes.

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The Influence of Certain Drugs on the Crustacean Nerve-Muscle System

Cited by 41 publications

References 22 publications

The effect of picrotoxin on peripheral inhibition in the crayfish

The effect of picrotoxin on peripheral inhibition in the crayfish

Oscillatory Behavior of the Squid Axon Membrane Potential

Fine structural localization of acetylcholinesterase in sensory and motor neurons of the muscle receptor organ in Homarus

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