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Animal Sensory Systems and Movement > Research Links
Chapter 43 described seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and movement. The different stimuli that lead up to any of these senses can be such things as receptor binding, action potential stimulation, vibration detection, or ATP-mediated structural rearrangement. The Websites listed below will offer you an opportunity to explore other areas of interest related to animal sensory systems and movement.
43.1 How Do Animals Convey Sensory Information to the Brain?
Sensory Transduction Research
Dr. Paul Bertrand, at the University of Melbourne, studies the transduction of sensory signals in the mammalian vertebrate system. This site describes his research interests and links to several papers and outside resources on sensory transduction.
Keywords: sensory transduction, research, senses
Transplanted Cell Technology
Sending and receiving signals from the brain—both to sensory organs and muscles—is dependent on intact healthy nervous pathways that often travel through the spinal cord. This article describes modern methods that may enable doctors to repair spinal cord damage and enable people with injuries and nerve disorders to lead normal lives.
Keywords: spinal cord, syringomyelia, medicine, signal transduction
43.2 Hearing
Vertigo
Along with the detection of sound waves, the ear aids in detecting differences in pressure and also aids in balance and a sense of where one is in space. Vertigo is a common condition, usually temporary, that can occur due to disturbances in the inner ear. This site details one syndrome that causes vertigo due to an opening in one of the bones of the ear.
Keywords: vertigo, inner ear
43.3 Vision
Circadian Rhythm Photoreceptor
The "internal clock" is more scientifically referred to as the circadian rhythm. This site details research from the Howard Hughes Institute, identifying a photoreceptor involved in establishing and maintaining the body's circadian rhythm.
Keywords: vision, circadian rhythm, photoreceptor
Your
Cat: Eyes and Vision
Visual acuity and reception differ among animals depending on what they use their vision for, like spotting predators or tracking prey. This site from Animal Discovery discusses some of the unique characteristics of feline vision, including adaptations that enable them to see well in the dark.
Keywords: cat, vision, light and dark
43.4 Taste and Smell
Fly Genes
As with all physiological processes, the molecular mechanisms for vision are dependent on a set of proteins coded for by specific genes. This article describes the elucidation of a set of genes responsible for taste and smell in Drosophila.
Keywords: taste, smell, fruit-fly genes
Taste and Smell Disorders
The Taste and Smell Clinic, headed by Dr. Robert Henkin, is a leading research center on disorders and abnormalities of these senses. Their site describes common taste and smell disorders and current research into the physiological mechanisms of the two senses.
Keywords: taste, smell, medicine
Olfaction Sensory Map Article and an Article on Human Kin Using Sense of Smell for Recognition
This article describes research done at the Howard Hughes Institute on how olfactory sense information is processed in the brains of fruit flies. Dr. Richard Axel's research provides insight into how olfactory information is related to behavior in invertebrates and provides a tentative model of olfactory senses of humans.
Keywords: olfaction, Drosophila, senses
43.5 Movement
The Effects of Space Travel on the Musculoskeletal System
The musculoskeletal system is responsible for providing structure to the body and moving it around in response to the environment and the body's needs. This article from the National Institutes of Health describes the specific effects that space travel has on the muscles and skeleton.
Keywords: musculoskeletal system, space travel, NIH
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2003
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