Meeting Abstract S1.9  Sunday, Jan. 4  Macro- and micro-mechanics of hair-cell transduction COREY, David P*; KARAVITAKI, Domenica; SOTOMAYOR, Marcos; Harvard Medical School; Harvard Medical School; Harvard Medical School dcorey@hms.harvard.edu The transduction channels of hair cells are located at the tips of the stereocilia that extend as a bundle from the top of each cell. A positive deflection […]

Meeting Abstract S1.1  Sunday, Jan. 4  Influence of environmental noise on the evolution of communication systems NARINS, P.M.; Univ. of California, Los Angeles pnarins@ucla.edu Many species of animals, including man, face the formidable task of communicating in naturally noisy environments. In this talk, I shall emphasize the effects of noise on both the calling behavior of anurans […]

Meeting Abstract S1.3  Sunday, Jan. 4  Hydrodynamic imaging in blind Mexican cave fish WINDSOR, Shane; University of Auckland s.windsor@auckland.ac.nz Blind Mexican cave fish (Astyanax fasciatus) lack a functioning visual system but are capable of moving through complex environments without colliding with obstacles. They do this by using their mechanosensory lateral line system to sense how the flow […]

Meeting Abstract S1.2  Sunday, Jan. 4  High frequency hearing and behavioral tuning of the ear in frogs GRIDI-PAPP, M.*; FENG, A.S.; SHEN, J.-X.; YU, Z.-L.; ROSOWSKI, J.J.; NARINS, P.M.; Univ. of California, Los Angeles; University of Illinois, Urbana; Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing; Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing; Harvard Medical School, Boston; Univ. of California, Los Angeles […]

Meeting Abstract S1.8  Sunday, Jan. 4  Fluid-structure interaction in lateral line receptors MCHENRY, MJ*; STROTHER, JA; VAN TRUMP, WJ; Univ. of California, Irvine; Univ. of California, Irvine; Univ. of California, Irvine mmchenry@uci.edu Many aquatic animals are exquisitely sensitive to water flow through the deflections of ciliated receptor organs. The sensitivity of these organs is governed by the […]

Meeting Abstract S1.5  Sunday, Jan. 4  Biomechanical constraints on sensory acquisition in weakly electric fish MACIVER, Malcolm A; SHIRGAONKAR, Anup A; PATANKAR, Neelesh A*; Northwestern University; Northwestern University; Northwestern University; Northwestern University maciver@northwestern.edu The knifefish Apteronotus albifrons hunts for small water insects at night using a self-generated electric field to perceive its world. Using this unique sensory […]

Meeting Abstract S1.11  Sunday, Jan. 4  Auditory transduction in Drosophila GOPFERT, M. C.; Univ. of Gottingen, Germany m.gopfert@uni-koeln.de Hearing is a multi-step process that starts with the conversion of acoustic energy into mechanical vibrations (stimulus reception), the funnelling of these vibrations to dedicated mechanosensory cells and molecules (coupling), the transformation of the vibrations into electrical currents (mechano-electrical […]

Meeting Abstract S1.4  Monday, Jan. 4  Tunicate genomics: a window into chordate development and evolution ZELLER, R.W.; San Diego State University rzeller@sciences.sdsu.edu Tunicates, particularly ascidians, are an excellent biological system in which to study gene regulatory mechanisms important during embryological development. Because of their phylogenetic position within the chordates, tunicates will provide insight into the evolution of […]

Meeting Abstract S1.7  Monday, Jan. 4  Sympathoadrenal lineage in lampreys SAUKA-SPENGLER, T; Caltech spengler@caltech.edu The neural crest is a multipotent stem cell-like population that forms a plethora of derivatives, including neurons and glia of the peripheral nervous system, craniofacial skeleton and melanocytes. Data compiled from vertebrate model organisms has led us to propose a multi-module GRN that […]

Meeting Abstract S1.9  Monday, Jan. 4  Origins of the Neuroendocrine System in a Basal Vertebrate, the Sea Lamprey SOWER, STACIA A.*; KOSUGI, TAKAYOSHI; AQUILINA-BECK, ALLISAN; FREAMAT, MIHAEL; University of New Hampshire, Durham; University of New Hampshire Durham; University of New Hampshire, Durham; University of New Hampshire, Durham sasower@cisunix.unh.edu The hypothalamic-pituitary (HP) system is considered to be a […]