Molecular tuning of electroreception in sharks and skates.

ABSTRACT: Ancient cartilaginous vertebrates, such as sharks, skates and rays, possess specialized electrosensory organs that detect weak electric fields and relay this information to the central nervous system^1-4. Sharks exploit this sensory modality for predation, whereas skates may also use it to detect signals from conspecifics ⁵ . Here we analyse shark and skate electrosensory cells to determine whether discrete physiological properties could contribute to behaviourally relevant sensory tuning. We show that sharks and skates use a similar low threshold voltage-gated calcium channel to initiate cellular activity but use distinct potassium channels to modulate this activity. Electrosensory cells from sharks express specially adapted voltage-gated potassium channels that suppo

SUBMITTER: Bellono NW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6101975 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature