Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2011 Nov 12;366(1581):3016-25. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0128.
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.
星鼻鼹鼠是一种感觉特别敏锐的动物，它们利用有 22 个触须的鼻子来探索周遭的环境。这些触须上覆盖着称为埃默氏小体（Eimer's organ）的感觉球。每个小体都与一个 Merkel 细胞-神经纤维复合体、板层小体以及一系列 5-10 个游离神经末梢相连，这些末梢形成了一个末端肿胀的环。解剖学和电生理学记录表明，埃默氏小体可以探测到微小的形状和质地。星鼻鼹鼠的感觉系统与其他哺乳动物的视觉系统之间存在着相似之处。星形的中心是一个用于精细探测物体和猎物的触觉中央凹（fovea）。在新大脑皮层中，触觉中央凹的代表区域过度表达，这在星形的模块化、解剖可见的代表中显而易见。在经过细胞色素氧化酶或 NADPH 黄递酶处理的扁平化皮质准备中，可以看到多个星形图谱。星鼻鼹鼠是已知的哺乳动物中觅食速度最快的动物之一，能够在 120 毫秒内识别并吃掉一个小猎物。这些行为和神经系统的特殊化使得星鼻鼹鼠成为一个有趣的模型系统，可用于研究哺乳动物触觉的一般和特殊方面。
