Athenstaedt H, Claussen H
Biophys J. 1981 Aug;35(2):365-74. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(81)84795-9.
Quantitative pyroelectric (PE) and piezoelectric (PZE) measurements were carried out on the insect integument of live Blaberus giganteus (cockroach) and on dry integument preparations of the same species. Voltage responses to optical pulses of 10--500 ms, absorbed in the live integument, were PE: interference filter measurements showed the responses to be proportional to the absorbed thermal radiation flux and independent of the wavelength. The voltage/time-course of the responses was in agreement with theoretically calculated PE signals. Voltage responses to mechanical pulses were PZE. The responses of the inner and outer integument surfaces always had opposite electric signs. The polar character of the integument was confirmed by means of a separate dielectric heating method. To explain these results, we hypothesize that the PE properties are for the most part localized in the two outermost layers (outer and inner epicuticle) of the integument, which consists mainly of polar lipids and proteins. Parallel alignment of these polar molecules perpendicular to the integument surface is very likely. PE and PZE responses, therefore, will not only occur in live insects but will also be measurable in dead, dry integument preparations as long as the polar tissue texture remains intact. Due to its polar texture, the insect integument will react to rapid changes in temperature, illumination, or uniaxial pressure in the same way as nonbiological PE materials, where the voltage responses depend on dX/dt (X, pressure or temperature). It seems clear, therefore, that the well-known physiological reactions of various arthropods to such physical outside influences may be related to the PE property of their integument.
对活体巨大斑蠊（蟑螂）的昆虫体表以及同一物种的干燥体表标本进行了热释电（PE）和压电（PZE）的定量测量。对活体体表吸收的10 - 500毫秒光脉冲的电压响应属于热释电现象：干涉滤光片测量表明，这些响应与吸收的热辐射通量成正比，且与波长无关。响应的电压/时间过程与理论计算的热释电信号一致。对机械脉冲的电压响应属于压电现象。体表内外表面的响应总是具有相反的电信号。通过一种单独的介电加热方法证实了体表的极性特征。为了解释这些结果，我们假设热释电特性大部分局限于体表的最外层两层（外表皮和内表皮），这两层主要由极性脂质和蛋白质组成。这些极性分子很可能垂直于体表表面平行排列。因此，热释电和压电响应不仅会在活体昆虫中出现，而且只要极性组织结构保持完整，在死亡的干燥体表标本中也可测量到。由于其极性结构，昆虫体表对温度、光照或单轴压力的快速变化的反应方式与非生物热释电材料相同，在非生物热释电材料中，电压响应取决于dX/dt（X为压力或温度）。因此，很明显，各种节肢动物对这种外部物理影响的众所周知的生理反应可能与其体表的热释电特性有关。
