Behavior, Electrophysiology, and Robotics Experiments to Study Lateral Line Sensing in Fishes

Abstract

The lateral line system is a sensory system unique to fishes and amphibians. It is composed of distributed mechanosensory hair cell organs on the head and body (neuromasts), which are sensitive to pressure gradients and water movements. Over the last decade, we have pursued an interdisciplinary approach by combining behavioral, electrophysiology, and robotics experiments to study this fascinating sensory system. In behavioral and electrophysiology experiments, we have studied the larval lateral line system in the model genetic organism, zebrafish (Danio rerio). We found that the lateral line system, even in 5-day-old larvae, is involved in an array of behaviors that are critical to survival, and the deflection of a single neuromast can elicit a swimming response. In robotics experiments, we used a range of physical models with distributed pressure sensors to better understand the hydrodynamic environments from the local perspective of a fish or robot. So far, our efforts have focused on extracting control-related information for a range of application scenarios including characterizing unsteady flows such as Kármán vortex streets for station holding. We also used robot models to test biological hypotheses on how morphology and movement of fishes affect lateral line sensing. Overall, with this review we aim to increase the visibility and accessibility of this multi-disciplinary research approach.

Systemic loss of Sarm1 protects Schwann cells from chemotoxicity by delaying axon degeneration

“…To this end, we used several parameters of nervous-system structure and function by combining sarm1 hzm13 with transgenes expressing fluorescent markers in the sensory neurons of the mechanosensory lateral line, as well as in their associated Schwann cells 46,47 . The lateralline system is ideal for such in vivo studies under normal and altered conditions [48][49][50][51] . It combines the organization of a typical vertebrate sensory system with the amenability for controlled experimental interventions that include microsurgery, pharmacology, and optogenetics 41,42,52,53 .…”

Soft Underwater Swimming Robots Based on Artificial Muscle

“…There is a long and narrow sideline system on the surface of a fish's body, which not only regulates swimming behavior in real time by sensing the flow velocity, direction, and pressure, but also has many important sensory functions, such as hearing and touch, which plays a role in finding bait, migration, clustering, reproduction, defense, and other life processes. [152,153] In recent years, researchers have made good progress through the bionic sideline system. [154][155][156][157] In addition, the integration of flexible sensing and soft actuating is also an important part of realizing intelligent control for soft robots.…”

The early development and physiology ofXenopus laevistadpole lateral line system

“…In terms of LL efferents, it has been shown that both cholinergic and dopaminergic efferent neurons modulate the hair-cell output (Haehnel-Taguchi M, Akanyeti O and Liao JC, 2018). In stages 48-55 tadpoles, the efferent activity was shown to be corollary to the locomotor rhythms, in phase with ipsilateral spinal central pattern generator activity and suppressing afferent sensory signalling (Chagnaud BP et al, 2015).…”

“…Aquatic vertebrates including fish and Anura use the distributed mechanosensory lateral line (LL) system to sense hydrodynamic disturbances (Bleckmann H and Zelick R, 2009; Coombs S and Zaidi ZH, 2012; Kroese AB et al, 1978; Montgomery JC et al, 1997; Stewart WJ et al, 2013). The LL system provides an important sensory mode for animals to conduct rheotaxis (facing into and swimming against a current) (Akanyeti O et al, 2016; Haehnel-Taguchi M et al, 2018; Montgomery JC, Baker CF and Carton AG, 1997; Oteiza P et al, 2017; Simmons AM et al, 2004), predator avoidance and escape (McHenry MJ et al, 2009; Roberts A et al, 2009; Stewart WJ, Cardenas GS and McHenry MJ, 2013) and prey detection (Claas B and Munz H, 1996; Nagiel A et al, 2008). There are three types of LL receptor: mechanosensory neuromasts, pit organs (Northcutt RG, 1992) and electroreceptive ampullary organs.…”

“…In early tadpole stages however, it is thought that the cupula has not yet formed (Roberts A, Feetham B, Pajak M and Teare T, 2009). Activation of the lateral line system in tadpoles can initiate escape responses followed by swimming (Roberts A, Feetham B, Pajak M and Teare T, 2009) and rheotactic behaviour in older tadpoles (Haehnel-Taguchi M, Akanyeti O and Liao JC, 2018; Simmons AM, Costa LM and Gerstein HB, 2004).…”