Biomedical subjects

F G Barth

Publications and source records attributed to F G Barth.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1993

Two visual systems in one brain: neuropils serving the secondary eyes of the spider Cupiennius salei.

Like other araneans, the wandering spider Cupiennius salei is equipped with one pair of principal eyes and three pairs of secondary eyes. Primary and secondary eyes serve two distinct sets of visual neuropils in the brain. This paper describes cellular organization in neuropils supplied by the secondary eyes, which individually send axons into three laminas resembling their namesakes serving insect superposition eyes. Secondary eye photoreceptors send axons to small-field projection neurons (L-cells) which extend from each lamina to supply three separate medullas. Each medulla is a vault of neuropil comprising only a few morphological types of neurons. These can be compared to a subset of retinotopic neurons in the medullas of calliphorid Diptera supplying giant motion-sensitive neurons in the lobula plate. In Cupiennius, neurons from secondary eye medullas converge at a single target neuropil called the "mushroom body." This region contains giant output neurons which, like their counterparts in the calliphorid lobula plate, lead to descending pathways that supply thoracic motor circuits. It is suggested that the cellular arrangements serving Cupiennius's secondary eyes are color independent pathways specialized for detecting horizontal motion. The present results do not support the classical view that the spider "mushroom body" is phylogenetically homologous or functionally analogous to its namesake in insects.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Two visual systems in one brain: neuropils serving the principal eyes of the spider Cupiennius salei.

Principal (anterior median) eyes of the wandering spider Cupiennius are served by three successive neuropils, the organization of which is distinct from those serving secondary eyes. Photoreceptors terminate in the first optic neuropil amongst second order neurons with overlapping dendritic fields. Second order neurons terminate at various depths in anterior median eye medulla where they are visited by bush-like dendritic trees of third order projection neurons. These supply tracts which extend into the "central body." This crescent-shaped neuropil lies midsagittally in the rear of the brain near its dorsal surface. It is organized into columns and it supplies both columnar and tangential efferents to other brain centers. The supply to and organization of the "central body" neuropil is reminiscent of retinotopic neuropils supplying the lobula of insects. Channels to the "central body" comprise one of two concurrent visual pathways, the other provided by the secondary eyes supplying the "mushroom body." We suggest that principal eye pathways may be involved in form and texture perception whereas secondary eyes detect motion, as is known for jumping spiders. Our data do not support Hanström's classical view that the "central body" is specifically associated with web-building, nor that it is homologous to its namesake in insect brains.

Afferent Pathways↗

PubMed1992

Fine structure of olfactory sensilla in myriapods and arachnids.

Structural features of various types of olfactory sensilla are reviewed. 1) Sensilla basiconica which differ in form and size are found on the antennae of centipedes and millipedes. Their walls show longitudinal slits or grooves that either open into the sensillum lumen or do not penetrate the cuticle. In other such sensilla the outer surface is pierced by pores and the inner surface grooved and pocketed. These sensilla are innervated by one to six sensory cells. Their unbranched outer dendritic segments extend to the tip of the sensillum. The sensory cells are surrounded by two or three sheath cells which terminate at the sensillum base or form a continuous tube around the entire length of the outer dendritic segments. 2) Temporal organs of centipedes are located between the insertion of the antenna and the ocelli. These sensilla consist of a shallow cuticular ring with a central sensory plate made up by a layer of unperforated cuticle or a capsule with a mushroom-shaped structure inside formed by fibrous-looking cuticle. A dozen sensory cells with unbranched outer dendritic segments innervate each sensillum. They extend toward the sensory cuticle and pass just below it. Numerous sheath cell processes run parallel to the outer dendritic segments up to the sensory cuticle. 3) Thread-like flagella of Pauropoda are found on the antennae. They possess a flexible unperforated cuticular wall. These sensilla contain nine sensory cells surrounded by several sheath cells which form a continuous cytoplasmic tube around the outer dendritic segments. 4) Single-walled sensilla with numerous plugged pores penetrating the cuticular wall occur on the tarsus of the first leg in ticks. Each sensillum is innervated by 4-15 sensory cells. Three sheath cells terminate in the base of the sensillum. 5) Double-walled sensilla with spoke canals are found on the first tarsus of ticks. Their shaft is longitudinally grooved. Pore canals lead inward from the bottom of the grooves and open into vase-shaped chambers. From its base these canals extend into the lumen of the sensillum which contains unbranched outer dendritic segments of 1-2 sensory cells. 6) Single-walled sensilla with pore openings occur on the distal tarsal segments of the first leg of whip spiders. These sensilla are innervated by 40-45 sensory cells. Their unbranched outer dendritic segments fill the shaft lumen and extend partly into the wall pores. Microvillus-shaped sheath cell processes line the inner surface of the cuticular wall.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1983

A versatile feedback controller for electro-mechanical stimulation devices.

Neurophysiological and behavioral work often requires that various laboratory stimulators be feedback-stabilized. We describe the design and performance of a versatile electronic controller that can be used to extend and flatten the frequency response of commercially available stimulating devices. The design includes flexible proportional-integral-derivative control action and active second-order, high-pass compensation. As an example application of this controller to 3 different electro-mechanical vibrator/transducer combinations demonstrates that the useful frequency response can be extended by more than a decade as compared with the uncontrolled device.

Animals↗

PubMed1981

Dorsal giant fibre septum of earthworm. Fine structural details and further evidence for gap junctions.

The fine structure of the dorsal giant fibre septa of earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris and Eisenia foetida) was studied by thin sectioning. E-PTA, BIUL and ZIO impregnation were carried out to characterize the various membrane specializations found. A septum, which is formed by two axon membranes only ca. 7 nm apart, is a heterogeneous structure showing a number of different specializations (intermediate junctions, dense projection-like humps, septate regions, vesicles quite often associated with a widened intercellular gap and membrane thickening). Septal areas referred to as septal complexes are of particular interest. They comprise up to 20% of septal cross-sections and are characterized by membrane appositions (diameter ca. 25 nm) which bridge the septal gap, protrude 16-25 nm into the respective axoplasms, and form a more or less hexagonal array with a centre-to-centre spacing of ca. 33 nm (ca. 29 nm after E-EPTA treatment) in en face sections. We interpret the septal complexes as gap junctions, i.e. sites of electronic coupling, and emphasize their unusually large dimension. The vesicles found at the septum could not be stained by ZIO treatment.

Animals↗

PubMed1973