Stimulus-response properties of cricket cereal filiform receptors

The dynamic ranges and stimulus-response properties of a large sample of cereal filiform receptors in Acheta domesticus were investigated electrophysiologically. The relation between receptor response and stimulus velocity was a sigmoid function, the log-linear portion of which spanned 1–1.5 log units of peak air-current velocity. Different receptors responded over different but overlapping velocity ranges, such that the system velocity sensitivity range spanned at least 2.5 log units. Plots of receptor response amplitude vs. stimulus direction were sinusoidal, with a period of 360°. Long-hair receptors responded in phase with air-current velocity, and intermediate-hair receptors responded in phase with air-current acceleration. These results extend those of Shimozawa and Kanou (1984a) and Kämper and Kleindienst (1990), in which the dynamics of receptor responses were shown to depend on hair length. When individual hairs were directly mechanically deflected, their receptors responded in phase with the first derivative of hair deflection. The signal transform between the air-current stimulus and the receptor response is comprised of two processes, one biomechanical/aerodynamic and one membrane biophysical. The results of this study suggest that the parametric sensitivities of receptors are primarily determined by hair biomechanical/aerodynamic properties.

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