MAIN TASKS AND GOALS

The head of Laboratory Yu. B. Manteifel


Corresponding member of the AS of the USSR Kh.S. Koshtoyantz

1. Chemical sensory ecology (сhemical sensory systems, behavioral reactions to chemical stimuli and their possible adaptive value) of aquatic and amphibiotic vertebrates, mainly amphibians and fish.
2. Comparative neuromorphology of vertebrates and functional correlates of differences in ultrastructural and chemical organization of central nervous system.

OTHER INFORMATION

Laboratory participated in the studies on the program "Biological diversity", in organization of several conferences on animal behavior. At a period of existance of the USSR laboratory organizined expeditions to Azerbaijan, Carpats, Caucasis, Central Asia, Dagestan, Far East, Krasnodar Province, and Moldova with the aim to collect the living animals for the following studies in laboratory conditions. During nearly 30 years the lab regularly works at the institutional Biological Station and Natural Reserve “Glubokoe Lake”. This most old Russian freshwater hydrobiological station is distinguished by the low level of anthropogenic contamination and rather rich batrachofauna. Experiments for the analysis of behavior of the larvae and adult amphibians, as well as such predators as fish, amphibians and invertebrates, are conducted there.

The Laboratory was organized in 1960 by G.D. Smirnov, Dr. Sci. (biol.). At first the Laboratory conducted complex studies of morphological and functional organization of some nervous centers in the comparative row of vertebrates. On the base of investigation of visual, vestibular and olfactory systems in representatives of different classes some original conclusions were made about correlations between particularities of fine construction of nervous centers and their functional features and about some changes in construction and operation of nervous cells and centers in the course of evolution.

Since 1970 the Laboratory under the direction of Y. B. Manteifel has been studying a number of forms of behavior in aquatic and amphibiotic vertebrates, functional characteristics and morphological particularities of sensory systems of these animals. A study of adaptations to different environmental conditions was combined with elaboration of some evolutionary aspects. In 1970-1978 visual system and visually guided behavior of acipenserid fish, amphibians (urodelian and anuran) and tortoises were studied. As a result of complex investigations some correlations between morphological, physiological and ethological features were found, deepening beliefs about behavioral mechanisms of animals studied. Species-specific and more general (including that correlated with ecology) particularities of neuronal and synaptic organization of different parts of visual system in different tortoises and of the main cortical divisions of these animals forebrain were revealed. Results of the lab studies have allowed the revision of some ideas of the vertebrate evolutionary neurology. In particular, some original considerations about organization of the brain cortex in some mammals were suggested and an original concept of evolutionary change in the synaptic organization of the nervous system in vertebrates was formulated.

Since 1976 the Laboratory has begun to study chemoreceptive sensory systems and behavioral reactions to natural chemical stimuli. New data were obtained concerning chemical sensory reception and perception in aquatic and amphibiotic amphibians and reptiles. These data are important for understanding of tetrapod adaptations to the life in the aquatic medium or in two media and of evolution of sensory systems of distant chemical reception in vertebrates. Some new behavioral reactions of animals were revealed. In amphibians and reptiles with arhythmic breathing specialized movements were found; these movements provide the propulsion of the tested medium to chemical receptors of the nasal and oral cavities. High sensitivity to nonvolatile amino acids was found, which level approached to such of fish (more studied in the given aspect). It was shown that both olfactory and vomeronasal organs of anuran amphibians and pond tortoise participate in chemical reception and organization of behavioral reactions to chemical stimuli. Some functional differences of these two systems of olfactory reception were discovered. Particularities of bony fish chemical reception are studied (participation in organization of reproductive behavior, sensitivity, remembering and distinguishing the chemical stimuli). Special experiments were undertaken for estimation of some features of most quick learning of fish with the only one combination of a definite chemical stimulus with such emotionally negative unconditioned stimulus as a sharp poisoning or conspecific alarm pheromone. The main specificity of such a learning is an absence of comparison of conditioned stimulus with neutral or positive ones; consequently, a process of differentiation does not participate in conditioning. Use of given methodical approach has allowed to establish that cypriform fish a priori separate amino acids as sensory stimuli into categories in accordance with a sign of its molecular charge (position at the axis “acidic-basic”). The Laboratory studies the ontogenesis of chemical sensitivity in fish and amphibians in connection with particularities of ecology at different stages of development. Sensory nervous centers (partly structure, mainly neuronal reactions to natural stimuli) are investigated. Extensive data on chemical sensorially and visually guided behavior of the newts were obtained. Many experimental studies on behavioral chemical sensory ecology of the anuran amphibians, particularly their larvae, were developed. These studies have revealed reactions of tadpoles to excretions of hetero- and conspecific larvae, as well as to excretions of other aquatic animals. Data obtained in this line of research are compared with results of monitoring of small water pools and metapopulations of amphibians and fish in the region of the Natural Reserve "Lake Glubokoe" (Moscow Province; the word "glubokoe” means “deep”). This monitoring is regularly conducted by the Laboratory. Highly negative influence of spreading of the Far East (Amur River fauna) fish rotan (Perccottus glenii Dybowski) on populations of two newt and three frog species was found. However, rotan does not significantly influences on populations of the common toad Bufo bufo. It is shown that chemical reception participates in regulation of different aspects of interrelations of amphibian larvae with predators. In particular, rotan intensively consumes frog tadpoles and often rejects toad tadpoles after intraoral testing.

Comparative (evolutionary) study of the mammal nervous system gave a base for elaboration of original criteria, allowing the revelation of the changes of ultrastructure of single elements in different areas of the brain cortex: nervous and glial cells, axons and dendrites, as well as interneuronal synaptic contacts. These changes are specific for intensified or weakened functioning of structures investigated. These criteria, in combination with the concept of evolutionary changes of the synaptic organization of the nervous system, are used in research of ultrastructural changes of the brain in conditions of the space flight (these works are directed on the searching mechanisms of the cosmic disease of motion). As a result of cooperation with the scientists of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems RAS and the American Exploratory Center of NASA, for the first time it were successfully differentiated changes evoked in the somato-sensory brain cortex of the laboratory rat as model mammal under microgravitation conditions ("zero gravity") in the space flight and under conditions of hypergravitation created by overloading at landing of the returned device. Such data are used for devising of new methods of compensation of changes in organism of astronauts under conditions of space flight and at landing.

Hystochemical study has allowed the elaboration of an original concept of organization and evolution of some layers in the brain cortex of the porpoise. In the tongue epithelium of this secondarily aquatic mammal, an innervation was revealed for structures, highly similar with gustatory buds; it is important because the porpoise is assigned to animals not having any olfactory organ.

At present, immunohystochemical study of the mammalian brain (in particular, in connection with highly actual problem of possible using of the stem cells for reparation of some brain defects, caused by pathological processes) is developed.