• Title/Summary/Keyword: vertebrates

Search Result 230, Processing Time 0.021 seconds

Taste Sensation in Drosophila melanoganster

  • Lee, Youngseok;Poudel, Seeta
    • Hanyang Medical Reviews
    • /
    • v.34 no.3
    • /
    • pp.130-136
    • /
    • 2014
  • Animals find nutritious foods to survive, while avoiding aversive and toxic chemicals through the chemosensory faculties of olfaction and taste. The olfaction is comparatively well characterized, but the studies of taste are only recently developing since after 2000. Genetic, immunohistochemistry, and electrophysiological studies with knock-out transgenic mice opened up the taste field in mammals. Taste in insects has been only recently been studied after mammalian taste receptors were identified. Flies also discriminate the differences of sweet, salty and sour food, while being able to detect and reject potential foods contaminated with toxins or detrimental chemicals. These discriminatory abilities indicate that flies house basic taste receptors in their taste organs like humans. For the last decade, the sweet and bitter gustatory receptors in Drosophila have been characterized. In this review, we compare the taste anatomy between humans and insects. We also introduce five canonical taste sensations in Drosophila. In addition, we introduce new taste repertoires, that fruit flies can sense water and fatty acids as well as the carbonation buffer in beverage. These studies on simple model organisms will open up a new potential for scientists to further investigate these characteristics in vertebrates.

Static Obstacle Crossing Locomotion of a Four-Legged Walking Machine (4-족 보행 로봇의 정역학적 장애물 횡단 보행에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Sung Ho;Chung, Gwang Jo
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
    • /
    • v.13 no.11
    • /
    • pp.152-162
    • /
    • 1996
  • A four-legged Walking Machine can move on the plain terrain with mobility and stability and stability, but if there exist any obstacles on the terrain of the motion direction, it takes extra time to cross those obstacles and the stability should be considered during motion. The main objective is the study a Quadruped which can cross obstacles with better mobility, stability and fuel economy than any other wheeled or tracked vehicles. Vertical step, isolated wall and ditch are the basic obstacles and by understanding those three cases perfectly, a Quadruped can move on any mixed rough terrain as 4-legged terrestrial vertebrates move. Each leg of a Quadruped has a limited walk space called a walking volume and this is very important to deter- mine the crossing capability in a static analysis. A Quadruped can be simplified with links and joints. By applying the research method, a quadruped can determine the control procedures as soon as it receives the terrain information from scanner and finally can move with mobility and stability.

  • PDF

Understanding Atelocollagen Injections for Patients with Foot and Ankle Diseases (족부족관절 질환 환자를 위한 아텔로콜라겐 주사의 이해)

  • Hee-Chul Gwak;Jun-Min Yoon;Dae-Yoo Kim
    • Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
    • /
    • v.27 no.4
    • /
    • pp.117-122
    • /
    • 2023
  • Collagen is the most common structural protein in the connective tissues of vertebrates, playing a crucial role in maintaining the tissue structure and wound healing. Atelocollagen retains the original properties of collagen but does not induce inflammatory cytokines. Atelocollagen is extracted from various animals and humans, with bovine-derived collagen being the most commonly used. The safety and efficacy of atelocollagen have been demonstrated through multiple studies, but further research will be needed in the field of orthopedics regarding its range of use and effects. Foot and ankle diseases have attracted little research attention, highlighting the need for further studies.

Vitellogenin ELISA System Based on Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies against Vitellin of Floating Goby (Chaenogobius annularis) (꾹저구(Chaenogobius annularis)의 난황단백질에 대한 다클론 항체와 단글론 항체을 이용한 Vitellogenin ELISA System)

  • Kang, Bong-Jung;Jung, Jee-Hyun;Lee, Je-Yong;Kim, Myung-Hee;Han, Chang-Hee
    • Development and Reproduction
    • /
    • v.9 no.2
    • /
    • pp.135-142
    • /
    • 2005
  • Vitellogenins(VTGs) are the precursor of egg-yolk proteins in most oviparous species from invertebrates to vertebrates. In oviparose vertebrates, VTGs are synthesized in the liver and transported through the blood to oocytes. In female fish, concentrations of plasma VTG increase rapidly at onset of vitellogenesis in the normal reproductive cycle. Male fishes also possess the gene for VTG, but plasma concentrations of the protein typically remain small, presumably due to low levels of endogenous estrogens. However, exposure of males to exogenous estrogenic mimics can result elevated. Therefore, the VTG in fish can be used as a useful biomarker for appropriate tools of endocrine disrupting compounds effects. In this studies, we prepared the test methods that can measure the plasma VTG level in the gobies that live in polluted area with mimic estrogen. For the purpose, we purified VTG of floating goby(Chaenogobius annularis) and prepared specific monoclonal and polyclonal antisera to yolk protein, then developed a sandwich competitive ELISA system for measurement of plasma VTG levels. Validation for the ELISA system using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against VTG was tested. The absorbance curve of serial dilutions of serum from vitellogenic female was paralleled to the standard curve of VTG, but normal male was not paralleled. The developed sandwich ELISA system was measured for VTG levels in plasma of common goby(Acanthogobius flaviman) and javeline goby(A. hasta) as well as in plasma of floating goby(C. annularis).

  • PDF

Analyses of Middle School Students' Thoughts Causing Common Mistakes on Animal Classification (중학생의 동물 분류에서 오류 원인이 되는 사고 내용 분석)

  • Gim, Wn Hwa;Hwang, Ui Wook;Kim, Yong-Jin
    • Journal of Science Education
    • /
    • v.36 no.1
    • /
    • pp.153-165
    • /
    • 2012
  • This study investigated the frequent mistakes and the causes of the alternative conceptions in the animal classification by using the questionnaire and interview with the middle school students (N=300). As results, some students have difficulties classifying suggested animals into vertebrates or invertebrates : snakes (31.7%), shrimps (28.3%), turtles (25.6%), frogs (24.7%), and starfish (10.7%) in order of precedence. These errors seemed to be caused by intuitive thinking over characteristics of physical motions and appearance of suggested animals, wrong inference from comparing to features of familiar animals and the lack of observation experience of the vertebrate backbone. Furthermore, the results showed that relatively many students made a mistake classifying subgroup members of vertebrates such as classifying salamanders into the class Reptilia (45.3%) and turtles into Amphibia (40.3%). It is likely that those errors are affected by ambiguousness of classification terminology (e.g. the term of Amphibia) and weak ability in relating the physiological and ecological feature to standard of classification feature. In addition, sociocultural factors could influence animal classification as 'bat in birds', 'whale in fish, and 'penguin in mammals'. The present study implied that teaching and learning animal classification may require an appropriate guide focused on activities to explore major characteristics used for the animal classification standard through providing more chances of animal observation rather than the cramming method of learning induced by technical memorizing.

  • PDF

Molecular Action of Prostaglandin to Mediate Insect Immunity and Its Application to Develop Novel Insect Control Techniques (곤충 면역반응을 중개하는 프로스타글란딘의 분자적 기작과 해충방제 응용)

  • Kim, Yonggyun
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
    • /
    • v.61 no.1
    • /
    • pp.173-195
    • /
    • 2022
  • Like vertebrates, insects synthesize various eicosanoids after the committed catalytic step of phospholipase A2 (PLA2). However, the subsequent biosynthetic steps exhibit some deviation from those of vertebrates. Due to little composition of arachidonic acid in insect phospholipids, PLA2 releases linoleic acid, which is another polyunsaturated fatty acid and relatively rich in insect phospholipids, to synthesize arachidonic acid via chain extension and desaturation. Resulting arachidonic acid is then oxygenated into a prostaglandin (PG), PGH2, by a specific peroxidase called peroxynectin, but not by cyclooxygenase. PGH2 is then isomerized to various PGs such as PGA2, PGD2, PGE2, PGI2, and a thromboxane (TXB2). All four epoxyeicosatrienoic acids such as 5,6-EET, 8,9-EET, 11,12-EET, and 14,15-EET are also synthesized from arachidonic acid by oxygenation of vertebrate types of monooxygenases. However, the other type of eicosanoids called leukotrienes are found in insect tissues but their synthetic pathway is unclear. Eicosanoids mediate various insect physiological processes such as metabolism, excretion, immunity, and reproduction. Thus, identification of novel compounds interrupting eicosanoid biosynthesis would be a novel approach to develop insecticides. This review focuses on PGs and their immune mediation.

Pineal Photoreceptor and Ganglion Cells in River Lamprey, Lampetra japonica -Two Types of Pineal Ganglion Cell-

  • Tamotsu, Satoshi;Kinugawa, Yoshimi;Kawano, Emi;Watanabe, Mai;Samejima, Michikazu;Oishi, Tadashi
    • Journal of Photoscience
    • /
    • v.9 no.2
    • /
    • pp.21-24
    • /
    • 2002
  • Pineal organs of poikilotherm vertebrates transform the environmental light information into a humoral message and a neuronal activity. The former is melatonin, and the latter is modulation of the impulse in ganglion cells. The ganglion cells are physiologically classified into luminosity (achromatic) type and chromatic one, as the neural activity is modulated in two ways. We attempted to classify the pineal ganglion cells with morphological characteristics by means of the three- dimensional reconstruction method. In the pineal ganglion cells of river lamprey, there are two different features, oval and spherical. For comparison of their projection region in the brain, the tracing investigation was also carried out. The application of the neural tracer near mesencephalic tegmentum showed that only oval-shaped ganglion cells were labeled in the pineal organ. These results suggest that the oval-shaped ganglion cell is functionally different from the spherical one.

  • PDF

Morphology of Retinas and Lenses in the Fish of the Genus Zacco (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae): Possible Relationship with Prey and Habitat

  • Lim, Jae-Won;Lee, Chung-Lyul;Lee, Moo-Sam
    • Animal cells and systems
    • /
    • v.7 no.4
    • /
    • pp.331-335
    • /
    • 2003
  • Vertebrates with different habitats have different proportions of visual cells, with the rod cells responding to scotopic vision and the cone cells responding to photopic and color vision in their retinas. The present work studied whether the kinds and arrangement patterns of the cone cells and interlocking morphology of the lens were related to the kind of preys and habitats in the genus Zacco. The retinas were observed by a light microscopy using H-E staining method and the interlocking formula of the lens fibers were investigated by a scanning electron microscopy. The interlocking formula of the lens fibers of Z. temmincki is an ' anchor and socket ' connection, and that of Z. platypus is a ' ball and socket ' connection. The cone cells of Z. platypus and Z. temmincki constituted compacted mosaic patterns of row type. Away from the center, the double and single cone cells gradually increased in diameter. Zacco temmincki had identical double cone cells and Z. platypus had non-identical double and single cone cells. The eyes of Z. temminckifeeding on a moving aquatic insects in relative limpid water and swift current of mid and upper stream have better resolution than that of Z. platypus feeding on mainly adhesive algae and some aquatic insects in slightly turbid water of mid stream.

Regulation of ANKRD9 expression by lipid metabolic perturbations

  • Wang, Xiaofei;Newkirk, Robert F.;Carre, Wilfrid;Ghose, Purnima;Igobudia, Barry;Townsel, James G.;Cogburn, Larry A.
    • BMB Reports
    • /
    • v.42 no.9
    • /
    • pp.568-573
    • /
    • 2009
  • Fatty acid oxidation (FAO) defects cause abnormal lipid accumulation in various tissues, which provides an opportunity to uncover novel genes that are involved in lipid metabolism. During a gene expression study in the riboflavin deficient induced FAO disorder in the chicken, we discovered the dramatic increase in mRNA levels of an uncharacterized gene, ANKRD9. No functions have been ascribed to ANKRD9 and its orthologs, although their sequences are well conserved among vertebrates. To provide insight into the function of ANKRD9, the expression of ANKRD9 mRNA in lipidperturbed paradigms was examined. The hepatic mRNA level of ANKRD9 was repressed by thyroid hormone ($T_3$) and fasting, elevated by re-feeding upon fasting. However, ANKRD9 mRNA level is reduced in response to apoptosis. Transient transfection assay with green fluorescent protein tagged- ANKRD9 showed that this protein is localized within the cytoplasm. These findings point to the possibility that ANKRD9 is involved in intracellular lipid accumulation.

A Study of Skin characteristics of the Chinese and Korean people in their 20's (20대 한국인과 중국인의 피부특성 연구)

  • Shim, Seung-Bo;Chun, Yong-Jin
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
    • /
    • v.15 no.1
    • /
    • pp.581-584
    • /
    • 2014
  • Skin is the soft outer covering of vertebrates. In mammals, the skin is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of ectodermal tissue, and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. There is a difference of the physiological function and anatomical structure of the skin, as body parts, sex, age, race and nutritional status. In this study, we measured the moisturizing ability of the skin of the 20s Chinese and Korea in Korean. We found that the skin hydrating of Chinese is significantly higher than Korean and TEWL of Chinese is lower than Korean. We measured the moisturizing ability of both 20s Chinese and Korean. As result, the moisturizing ability of 20s Chinese is better than Korean.