Load signalling by cockroach trochanteral campaniform sensilla

A major problem in sensory motor integration is to delineate how forces act ing upon a leg are encoded and regulated in the control of posture and loco motion. We have studied responses of the trochanteral campaniform sensilla, the largest array of force detecting mechanoreceptors in the cockroach leg . Afferents from two groups of sensilla (Groups 3 and 4) encode forces appl ied to the leg in the plane of joint movement of the coxo-trochanteral join t. The receptors within Group 3 exhibit fixed patterns of recruitment that could differentially indicate when force levels are adequate to provide sup port and propulsion during walking. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.