Model Systems

Question 1

Squid giant Axon
Diameter
Use

Answer 1

Large diameter <1mm
Easy dissection and support
External and internal perfusion with varying salines
(Perfusion allows determination of ion flows in action potential)

Question 2

Worms
Use
And why we use them

Answer 2

Electrophysiology
Death and development
Good to use as they have a fully mapped genome and nervous system
Model stage for developmental cell death = ‘apoptosis’(cell suicide)
Associative conditioning

Question 3

Flies

Use and why

Answer 3

Short life cycle (9days)
Nervous system = development
Role of pax-6 in eye development/evolution

Question 4

Frogs 
Galvani
Helmholtz
Katz+ miledi
Harrison
Sperry
What did they all study?

Answer 4

Galvani - used electrical stimulation 
Helmholtz - nerve conduction velocity 
Katz+ miledi - ca2+ release 
Harrison - how acorns grow
Sperry - how nerves pathfind

Question 5

Birds 
Why use them
Uses
Viktor hamburger, Rita Levi-Montalcini and Nichole le douarin research?
Learning 
Konrad Lorenz?

Answer 5

‘Easy embryonic manipulation and study on eggs
Transplantation
VH, R L-H and N LD researched quail and chicken, found they can stain parts of quail that are to be transplanted and observe it in domestic chicken (can transplant these 2 organisms interchangeably)
Lorenz - imprinting
Passive avoidance learning - simple event that prevents behaviour occurring again

Question 6

Dogs/ cats and apes experiments
Hitzig and fritsch
Sherrington
Loewi

Answer 6

H and F - mapped motor cortex of dogs
Sherrington - reflexes, motor control and localisation (defined synapses)
L - chemical transmission on dogs, demonstrated release of a chemical that can be transferred to cause change in heart beat

Question 7

Dogs/ cats and apes experiments (continued)
Dale
Langley
Lashley
Pavlov
Skinner

Answer 7

D - the release of ACh from motor nerves
(Dales principle)
Lang- named ANS and formulated receptor theory
Lash- searched for the engram, also did ablation studies(abnormally fast heart rate studies)
Pavlov - dogs conditioned responses + and - reinforcement

Question 8

Who conducted vision research?
What animals were used
What part of vision was assessed

Answer 8

Hubel, Wiesel and kuffler
Cat and monkey brain
Receptive fields and visual processing

Question 9

Mice transgenics - define

Behaviour observed?

Answer 9

Genetically manipulated
Molecular dissection of behaviour and diseases
E.g. Feeding and reward behaviour in dopamine deficient mice and also developmental abnormalities

Question 10

Non- Human primates - why use them?
Richard caton
Berger

Answer 10

Due to similarity to human brain
Richard caton records electrical activity in animal brain and inspires:
Berger to develop human EEG

Question 11

Applications of research?

Answer 11

Knowledge gained
Human pathology e.g. Scz, Alzheimer’s
Treatments e.g. Epilepsy, cochlear implants