Changes in the protein metabolism of the CNS of a teleost following stimulation of the lateral-line organ.

Unilateral stimulation of the lateral-line organ (LLO) of the teleost Scardinius erythrophthalmus by current water caused an increase in the afferent fibre activity in the stimulated organ of about 3.5 times as compared with the non-stimulated LLO. There was an increase of [3H] histidine incorporation as compared to controls following stimulation applied either at the beginning (1 h) or at the end (1.5-6 h) of various incorporation times. Following a 1 h stimulation period, the different areas of the LLO-system (lateral nerve, medulla oblongata, cerebellum and valvulae cerebelli), as well as the optic tectum, subtectum and spinal cord showed a significant increase of protein labelling; whereas after 12 h post-incorporation times only the lateral nerve showed highly significant differences as compared to controls. In animals stimulated at the end of a 12 h pre-incorporation period (1.5-6 h) there was a significant increase of protein labelling in all investigated structures of the brain as compared to controls.