Abstract
The diffusion coefficient of fluorescein in detached cilia of Xenopus laevis olfactory receptor neurons was measured using spatially-resolved FRAP, where the dye along half of the ciliary length was photobleached and its spatiotemporal fluorescence redistribution recorded. Fitting a one-dimensional numerical simulation of diffusion and photobleaching for 35 cilia resulted in a mean value of the diffusion coefficient and thus a reduction by a factor of compared to free diffusion in aqueous solution.
Highlights
Many sensory stimuli are detected at the cilia of sensory cells
For instance, are transduced into generator currents in the cilia of olfactory sensory cells, which may serve as a prototype of sensory cilia
Measurements of the diffusion coefficient D in spermatozoa [4] and in cilia of retina sensory cells [5] are in line with this suggestion but show at the same time that diffusion varies among different types of cilia
Summary
Many sensory stimuli are detected at the cilia of sensory cells. Odorant ligands, for instance, are transduced into generator currents in the cilia of olfactory sensory cells, which may serve as a prototype of sensory cilia. Measurements of the diffusion coefficient D in spermatozoa [4] and in cilia of retina sensory cells [5] are in line with this suggestion but show at the same time that diffusion varies among different types of cilia.
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