Identification of Bifurcations from Observations of Noisy Biological Oscillators.

ABSTRACT: Hair bundles are biological oscillators that actively transduce mechanical stimuli into electrical signals in the auditory, vestibular, and lateral-line systems of vertebrates. A bundle's function can be explained in part by its operation near a particular type of bifurcation, a qualitative change in behavior. By operating near different varieties of bifurcation, the bundle responds best to disparate classes of stimuli. We show how to determine the identity of and proximity to distinct bifurcations despite the presence of substantial environmental noise. Using an improved mechanical-load clamp to coerce a hair bundle to traverse different bifurcations, we find that a bundle operates within at least two functional regimes. When coupled to a high-stiffness load, a bundle functions near a sup

SUBMITTER: Salvi JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5002087 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature