QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by KERKUT, G. A. Articles by TAYLOR, B. J. R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by KERKUT, G. A. Articles by TAYLOR, B. J. R.

Journal of Experimental Biology 33,493-501 (1956)
Published by Company of Biologists 1956

The Sensitivity of the Pedal Ganglion of the Slug to Osmotic Pressure Changes

G. A. KERKUT ¹ and B. J. R. TAYLOR ¹

¹ Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Southampton

1. The effects of different dilutions of Locke solution on the electrical activity of the isolated pedal ganglion of the slug can be reproduced by adding different concentrations of glucose of mannitol to a given concentration of Locke.

2. This indicates that certain cells in the pedal ganglion are sensitive to the osmotic pressure of the solution and not its ionic concentration.

3. The preparation is sensitive to slow changes in the concentration of the bathing medium. The cells increased their activity when the bathing solution was slowly changed from 0.7 Locke to 0.6 Locke, the change taking 43 min. This corresponds approximately to a change of 1% of the body fluid concentration over 4 min. Such rates of change are found in the normal intact animal.

4. The sensitivity of the preparation compares well with that of the mammalian osmoreceptors.