R. G. Walker’s Paper Summery

Sensation is converting physical stimuli into electrical currents, known as action potential (AP), via transduction; hence, scientists study extensively to find out the mechanism of transduction. However, no all is clear. In this paper, Dr. Walker and his colleagues studied mechanoreceptor mutated flies, with nompC gene (described in details in his paper) of NOMPC channel, and compared their channel domain of NOMPC with other organism.
Drosophila, the fly that Walker used to study, has very interesting mechanosensory bristle organ. Not only chemoreceptor but also mechanoreceptor attach to the dendrite, which directly connects to a hollow hair shaft. This hair shaft is able to sense the directional movements and the displacement; when the hair is compressed toward fly’s cuticle (Walker referred this as positive stimuli), the hair compresses the dendritic tip connected underneath and opens the transduction channels, creating action potential. More the hair moves toward its b...