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Biology Faculty Publications

2009

Invertebrate

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Monitoring Heart Function In Larval Drosophila Melanogaster For Physiological Studies, Ann S. Cooper, Kylah E. Rymond, Matthew A. Ward, Easter L. Bocook, Robin L. Cooper Nov 2009

Monitoring Heart Function In Larval Drosophila Melanogaster For Physiological Studies, Ann S. Cooper, Kylah E. Rymond, Matthew A. Ward, Easter L. Bocook, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

We present various methods to record cardiac function in the larval Drosophila. The approaches allow heart rate to be measured in unrestrained and restrained whole larvae For direct control of the environment around the heart another approach utilizes the dissected larvae and removal of the internal organs in order to bathe the heart in desired compounds. The exposed heart also allows membrane potentials to be monitored which can give insight of the ionic currents generated by the myocytes and for electrical conduction along the heart tube. These approaches have various advantages and disadvantages for future experiments that are discussed. …


Historical View And Physiology Demonstration At The Nmj Of The Crayfish Opener Muscle, Ann S. Cooper, Robin L. Cooper Nov 2009

Historical View And Physiology Demonstration At The Nmj Of The Crayfish Opener Muscle, Ann S. Cooper, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

Here we present some of the key important discoveries made with the opener neuromuscular (NMJ) preparation of crustaceans and illustrate that there is still much to learn from this model preparation. In understanding the history one can appreciate why even today this NMJ still offers a rich playground to address questions regarding pre- and post-synaptic function and plasticity. The viability and ease of access to the terminal for intracellular as well as extracellular electrophysiology and imaging are significant advantages. The mechanisms behind the modulation of vesicular kinetics and fusion within the high- and low-output terminals are begging for investigation. The …


Measures Of Heart And Ventilatory Rates In Freely Moving Crayfish, Sonya M. Bierbower, Robin L. Cooper Oct 2009

Measures Of Heart And Ventilatory Rates In Freely Moving Crayfish, Sonya M. Bierbower, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

The fear, flight or fight response serves as the fundamental physiological basis for examining an organism's awareness of its environment under an impending predator attack. Although it is not known whether invertebrates posses an autonomic nervous system identical to that of vertebrates, evidence shows invertebrates have a sympathetic-like response to regulate the internal environment and ready the organism to act behaviorally to a given stimuli. Furthermore, this physiological response can be feasibly measured and it acts as a biological index for the animal's internal state. Measurements of the physiological response can be directly related to internal and external stressors through …