The sense of touch in the star-nosed mole: from mechanoreceptors to the brain

Star-nosed moles are somatosensory specialists that explore their environment with 22 appendages that ring their nostrils. The appendages are covered with sensory domes called Eimer's organs. Each organ is associated with a Merkel cell—neurite complex, a lamellated corpuscle, and a series of 5—...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological sciences 2011-11, Vol.366 (1581), p.3016-3025
Main Author: Catania, Kenneth C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Appendages
Brain
Electron Transport Complex IV - analysis
Evolution
Fovea
Human organs
Innervation
Mechanoreceptors - physiology
Moles
Moles - anatomy & histology
Moles - physiology
NADPH Dehydrogenase - analysis
Neocortex
Neurons
Nose - innervation
Nose - ultrastructure
Predatory Behavior
Sense of touch
Skin
Somatosensory
Somatosensory cortex
Somatosensory Cortex - enzymology
Somatosensory Cortex - physiology
Tactile
Touch - physiology
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Summary:Star-nosed moles are somatosensory specialists that explore their environment with 22 appendages that ring their nostrils. The appendages are covered with sensory domes called Eimer's organs. Each organ is associated with a Merkel cell—neurite complex, a lamellated corpuscle, and a series of 5—10 free nerve endings that form a circle of terminal swellings. Anatomy and electrophysiological recordings suggest that Eimer's organs detect small shapes and textures. There are parallels between the organization of the mole's somatosensory system and visual systems of other mammals. The centre of the star is a tactile fovea used for detailed exploration of objects and prey items. The tactile fovea is over-represented in the neocortex, and this is evident in the modular, anatomically visible representation of the star. Multiple maps of the star are visible in flattened cortical preparations processed for cytochrome oxidase or NADPH-diaphorase. Star-nosed moles are the fastest known foragers among mammals, able to identify and consume a small prey item in 120 ms. Together these behavioural and nervous system specializations have made star-nosed moles an intriguing model system for examining general and specialized aspects of mammalian touch.
ISSN:0962-8436
1471-2970
DOI:10.1098/rstb.2011.0128