Fundulus Melanophores: from Physiology to Cell Biology

 

Seung M. Hong & Gary Laverty

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2011, Volume 32

Abstract

Background color adaptation in poikilotherms is a great subject for investigative physiology course. The physiological color change is relatively fast and reversible. Moreover, the control mechanisms are complex and diverse among species, providing many follow-up studies for research projects. Dermal melanophores in Fundulus heteroclitus are responsible for darkening in black background and easily identified for indexing under low magnifications. To further explore organismal observations, isolated scales can be studied in vitro addressing questions concerning cell signaling and cytoskeletal motor proteins. This following study presents introductory experiments and proposes a model that integrates physiology and cell biology for investigative biology labs.

Keywords:  investigative lab, background color adaptation, Fundulus melanophores, melanosome movement, isolated fish scale, microtubules, perfusion chamber, adrenergic mediation, imaging

Dalhousie University (2010)