Stretch Receptors in the Foregut of the Blowfly

Abstract

Two bipolar neurons are located in a nerve branch connecting the recurrent nerve and foregut of the blowfly Phormia regina. Spike activity accompanying peristalsis or controlled enlargement of the foregut region is recorded from two cells in the recurrent nerve. The spikes are abolished by section of the nerve branch connecting recurrent nerve and foregut. It is concluded that the two neurons are the foregut stretch receptors predicted from results of behavioral experiments and vital to the regulation of feeding by the fly.