Meeting Abstract

P2.78  Friday, Jan. 4  Nonlinear modeling as a tool for studying the stretch receptor organ of the Hawkmoth caterpillar, Manduca sexta SIMON, M.A.*; TRIMMER, B.A.; Tufts University, Medford, MA; Tufts University, Medford, MA michael.simon@tufts.edu

Proprioception is a challenging problem for soft-bodied animals that are deformable and lack reliable reference points such as joints. In the caterpillar Manduca sexta, stretch receptor organs (SROs) attached to the interior of the body wall alongside muscles could provide useful information about body stretch and position. Past studies have examined the immediate response of this receptor to changes in strain. However, we have found that these mechanosensors have memory, their response likely containing significant nonlinear components. Here, we discuss the process by which we characterized the nonlinear components of sensory feedback in the SRO. We also present how these models are useful for further testing of the physiological response to body stretch in animal behavior, as well as the use of nonlinear models in in silico, or �virtual�, caterpillars.