Octopus chemotactile receptor (VIDEO)

University of California - San Diego

Caption

Research led by UC San Diego (Hibbs Lab) and Harvard University (Bellono Lab) has traced the evolutionary adaptations of octopus and squid sensing capabilities. The research teams described for the first time the structure of an octopus chemotactile (meaning chemical and touch) receptor, which octopus arms use for taste-by-touch exploration. These chemotactile receptors are similar to human brain and muscle neurotransmitter receptors, but are adapted and evolved to help evaluate possible food sources in the marine environment.

Credit

Guipeun Kang

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Must be used in conjunction with Nature studies on octopus and squid sensing.

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Original content

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