Skip to main content
Biophysical Journal logoLink to Biophysical Journal
. 1967 May;7(3):279–296. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(67)86588-3

Dynamic Statistics of Crayfish Caudal Photoreceptors

Howard T Hermann, Richard E Olsen
PMCID: PMC1368032  PMID: 6035125

Abstract

Crayfish caudal photoreceptor units were monitored during transient and steady-state responses to light stimuli (step on, step off). A statistical analysis of interpulse interval distributions during quasi-stationary time periods was carried out. Firing statistics during transient conditions were superposable with statistics under whatever steady stimulation produced the same firing rate, indicating that mean firing rate is a sufficient statistic. Distributions encountered formed a continuum of possible shapes. Considerable variation in shape was found with temperature and also among species, with Orconectes clarkii tending to fire more regularly than Orconectes virilis. Some properties of O. virilis statistics are described, including a linear relation between mean and standard deviation, and a tendency for intervals to be nonindependent. The data are considered as constraints on closed form models of the photoreceptor nerve pulse generator.

Full text

PDF
279

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Biederman-Thorson M. Source mechanisms for unit activity in isolated crayfish central nervous system. J Gen Physiol. 1966 Mar;49(4):597–612. doi: 10.1085/jgp.49.4.597. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Firth D. R. Interspike interval fluctuations in the crayfish stretch receptor. Biophys J. 1966 Mar;6(2):201–215. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(66)86651-1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. GERSTEIN G. L., MANDELBROT B. RANDOM WALK MODELS FOR THE SPIKE ACTIVITY OF A SINGLE NEURON. Biophys J. 1964 Jan;4:41–68. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3495(64)86768-0. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gerstein G. L. Analysis of Firing Pafferns in Single Neurons. Science. 1960 Jun 17;131(3416):1811–1812. doi: 10.1126/science.131.3416.1811. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Grossman R. G., Viernstein L. J. Discharge Patterns of Neurons in Cochlear Nucleus. Science. 1961 Jul 14;134(3472):99–101. doi: 10.1126/science.134.3472.99. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HERMANN H. T., STARK L. Single unit responses in a primitive photoreceptor organ. J Neurophysiol. 1963 Mar;26:215–228. doi: 10.1152/jn.1963.26.2.215. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HERMANN H. T. STOCHASTIC PROPERTIES IN THE NEGATIVE PHOTOTROPIC BEHAVIOR OF THE CRAYFISH. J Exp Zool. 1964 Apr;155:381–401. doi: 10.1002/jez.1401550310. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HERMANN H., STARK L. PREREQUISITES FOR A PHOTORECEPTOR STRUCTURE IN THE CRAYFISH TAIL GANGLION. Anat Rec. 1963 Oct;147:209–217. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091470205. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. KENNEDY D. Physiology of photoreceptor neurons in the abdominal nerve cord of the crayfish. J Gen Physiol. 1963 Jan;46:551–572. doi: 10.1085/jgp.46.3.551. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. RODIECK R. W., KIANG N. Y., GERSTEIN G. L. Some quantitative methods for the study of spontaneous activity of single neurons. Biophys J. 1962 Jul;2:351–368. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3495(62)86860-x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. STEIN R. B. A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF NEURONAL VARIABILITY. Biophys J. 1965 Mar;5:173–194. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3495(65)86709-1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. WIERSMA C. A., HUGHES G. M. On the functional anatomy of neuronal units in the abdominal cord of the crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (Girard). J Comp Neurol. 1961 Apr;116:209–228. doi: 10.1002/cne.901160209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biophysical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biophysical Society

RESOURCES