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2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

The "goatee" of Goatfish : innervation of taste buds in the barbels and their representation in the brain

Research Project

Project/Area Number 11660194
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field General fisheries
Research InstitutionKAGOSHIMA UNIVERSITY

Principal Investigator

KIYOHARA Sadao  KAGOSHIMA UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF SCIENCE, PROFESSOR, 理学部, 教授 (50117496)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) TSUKAHARA Junzo  KAGOSHIMA UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF SCIENCE, PROFESSOR, 理学部, 教授 (20008923)
Project Period (FY) 1999 – 2000
KeywordsTASTE / TASTE BUD / INNERVATION / BRAIN / FACIAL LOBE / SOMATOTOPY / CENTRAL PROJECTION / GOATFISH
Research Abstract

Goatfishes use a pair of large chin barbels to probe the sea bottom to detect buried prey. The barbels are studded with taste buds but little else is known about the neural organization of this system. We find that the taste buds of the barbel are innervated in a strict orthogonal fashion. The barbel is innervated by a main nerve trunk running in the core of the barbel. A longitudinal nerve bundle originates from the main trunk and after running a short distance distally, divides into two circumferential nerve bundles (CNB) extending respectively, medially and laterally around the barbel. Approximately 15 CNBs innervate each 1 mm length of barbel. At each transverse level, the CNB innervates two clusters of taste buds each containing 14 end organs. The primary taste center in the brain is similarly extraordinary. The sensory inputs from the barbel terminate in a derived dorsal facial lobe which has a highly convoluted surface forming a multitude of tubercles.
Electrophysiological mapping experiments show the entire barbel is somatotopically represented as a recurved elongate tubular fashion within the dorsal facial lobe.
The neural representation of the chin barbels of goatfish is highly unusual both in terms of the orthogonal regularity of the peripheral innervation and in their representation in a tortuous, recurved somatotopy. The system appears specialized to permit the fish to accurately discern the depth of a prey object buried in the sand.

Research Products

(9 results)

All Other

All Publications

  • [Publications] Yoshitomi T.,Sakata Y.and Kiyohara S.: "Immunohistochemical detection of peripheral nerve fibers in the taste epithelium of fish using antiserum against human protein gene product 9.5."Fisheries Sci.. 66. 406-408 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 坂田陽子,清原貞夫,塚原潤三: "ヒメジ科魚類の触鬚における味蕾の神経支配"日本味と匂い学会誌. 16. 511-514 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 清原貞夫: "ヒメジ科魚類の第一次顔面味覚中枢"日本味と匂い学会誌. 16. 515-516 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Kiyohara S.,Yamashita S.,Lamb C.F.and Finger T.E.: "Distribution of trigeminal fibers in the primary facial gustatory center of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus."Brain Res.841.. 841. 93-100 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Kiyohara S., Yamashita S., Lamb C.F.and Finger T.E.: "Distribution of trigeminal fibers in the primary facial gustatory center of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus."Brain Res.. 841. 93-100 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Yoshitomi T., Sakata Y.and Kiyohara S.: "Immunohistochemical detection of peripheral nerve fibers in the taste epithelium of fish using antiserum against human protein gene product 9.5."Fisheries Sci.. 66. 406-408 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Kiyohara S.: "Taste sense in fish with special reference to the sea catfish Plotosus lineatus(in Japanese)"Jpn.J.Taste Smell Res.. Vol.7 No.3. 149-160 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Sakata Y., Tsukahara J.and Kiyohara S.: "Distribution of nerve fibers in the barbels of sea catfish, Plotosus lineatus"(submitted).

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Sakata Y., Tsukahara J.and Kiyohara S.: "The innervation of taste buds in the barbels and their representation in the brain"(submitted).

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2002-03-25  

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