Clusters of superparamagnetic magnetite particles in the upper-beak skin of homing pigeons: evidence of a magnetoreceptor?

Winklhofer, Michael; Holtkamp-Rötzler, Elke; Hanzlik, Marianne; Fleissner, Gerta; Petersen, N.

doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2001/0013-0659

Cited by 85 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The magnetic energy of the corpuscle depends on the value of demagnetization factor L [44] and is derived from a wellknown equation for the total magnetic energy of space Similar analyses focused on magnetoreception were undertaken in a more general form in Winklhofer et al [47], where the authors described magnetically induced deformations of superparamagnetic magnetite clusters in membrane-bound and non-membrane-bound corpuscles in elastic matrices, whereas Shcherbakov & Winklhofer [48] analysed osmotic effect and thermal fluctuations during such deformations, considering again corpuscles to be composed of superparamagnetic magnetite.…”

Section: Simulations Of Magnetically Induced Rotation/deformation Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetically induced behaviour of ferritin corpuscles in avian ears: can cuticulosomes function as magnetosomes?

Jandačka

Burda

Pištora

2015

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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Magnetoreception is an enigmatic, poorly understood sensory ability, described mainly on the basis of behavioural studies in animals of diverse taxa. Recently, corpuscles containing superparamagnetic iron-storage protein ferritin were found in the inner ear hair cells of birds, a predominantly single ferritin corpuscle per cell. It was suggested that these corpuscles might represent magnetosomes and function as magnetosensors. Here we determine ferritin low-field paramagnetic susceptibility to estimate its magnetically induced intracellular behaviour. Physical simulations show that ferritin corpuscles cannot be deformed or rotate in weak geomagnetic fields, and thus cannot provide magnetoreception via deformation of the cuticular plate. Furthermore, we reached an alternative hypothesis that ferritin corpuscle in avian ears may function as an intracellular electromagnetic oscillator. Such an oscillator would generate additional cellular electric potential related to normal cell conditions. Though the phenomenon seems to be weak, this effect deserves further analyses.

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Section: Simulations Of Magnetically Induced Rotation/deformation Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetically induced behaviour of ferritin corpuscles in avian ears: can cuticulosomes function as magnetosomes?

Jandačka

Burda

Pištora

2015

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…Both types of magnetite particles have been described in birds, with single domains suggested to be present in the ethmoid region and the nasal cavity (e.g. Beason & Nichols 1984;Williams & Wild 2001) and superparamagnetic particles reported in distinct structures in the skin of the upper beak (Hanzlik et al 2000;Winklhofer et al 2001;Fleissner et al 2003Fleissner et al , 2007Tian et al 2007). Behavioural responses of birds to a strong, brief magnetic pulse, designed to alter the magnetization of magnetite, support the involvement of magnetite-based receptors in magnetoreception (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Directional orientation of birds by the magnetic field under different light conditions

Wiltschko

Stapput

Thalau

et al. 2009

J. R. Soc. Interface.

160

205

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This paper reviews the directional orientation of birds with the help of the geomagnetic field under various light conditions. Two fundamentally different types of response can be distinguished. (i) Compass orientation controlled by the inclination compass that allows birds to locate courses of different origin. This is restricted to a narrow functional window around the total intensity of the local geomagnetic field and requires light from the short-wavelength part of the spectrum. The compass is based on radical-pair processes in the right eye; magnetite-based receptors in the beak are not involved. Compass orientation is observed under 'white' and low-level monochromatic light from ultraviolet (UV) to about 565 nm green light. (ii) 'Fixed direction' responses occur under artificial light conditions such as more intense monochromatic light, when 590 nm yellow light is added to short-wavelength light, and in total darkness. The manifestation of these responses depends on the ambient light regime and is 'fixed' in the sense of not showing the normal change between spring and autumn; their biological significance is unclear. In contrast to compass orientation, fixed-direction responses are polar magnetic responses and occur within a wide range of magnetic intensities. They are disrupted by local anaesthesia of the upper beak, which indicates that the respective magnetic information is mediated by iron-based receptors located there. The influence of light conditions on the two types of response suggests complex interactions between magnetoreceptors in the right eye, those in the upper beak and the visual system.

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“…Magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) has been considered a possible basis for magnetic compass orientation in diverse species (Fleissner et al, 2003;Kirschvink and Gould, 1981;Kirschvink et al, 2001;Presti and Pettigrew, 1980;Winklhofer et al, 2001). In trouts (Walker et al, 1997) and some bird species (Fleissner et al, 2003;Hanzlik et al, 2000;Williams and Wild, 2001;Winklhofer et al, 2001), clusters of tiny magnetite crystals (diameter ~1-3·mm) were found in regions innervated by the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. Physiological studies indicated that this nerve may carry magnetic field information to the brain (Beason and Semm, 1996;Mora et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic compass in the cornea: local anaesthesia impairs orientation in a mammal

Wegner

Begall

Burda

2006

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY The mechanism of signal transduction during magnetic compass orientation is rarely evident in vertebrates and is as yet unknown in mammals. This transmission has been associated with magnetite-based receptors innervated by the ophthalmic nerve or with the involvement of the eye, particularly the retina. We provide the first behavioural support for the cornea carrying the respective primary sensors in mole-rats (Fukomys anselli) by showing that local anaesthesia disrupts their normal directional magnetic orientation. During corneal anaesthesia in normal geomagnetic conditions, mole-rats did not maintain their preferred nesting direction, but displayed a random orientation pattern. A second experiment showed that the ability of the mole-rat to discriminate between light and dark was not impeded by the same anaesthetic treatment, suggesting no retinal involvement in mole-rat magnetic orientation. Our study restricts the peripheral primary sensors in mole-rats to the ophthalmic region, probably the cornea and indicates magnetite as the responsible signal mediator.

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Clusters of superparamagnetic magnetite particles in the upper-beak skin of homing pigeons: evidence of a magnetoreceptor?

Cited by 85 publications

References 37 publications

Magnetically induced behaviour of ferritin corpuscles in avian ears: can cuticulosomes function as magnetosomes?

Magnetically induced behaviour of ferritin corpuscles in avian ears: can cuticulosomes function as magnetosomes?

Directional orientation of birds by the magnetic field under different light conditions

Magnetic compass in the cornea: local anaesthesia impairs orientation in a mammal

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