Nobel Prize winner, Biologist Otto Loewi, made a great discovery in contribution to physiology
by demonstrating, through experimentation, the messages sent by nerves through
the release of chemicals. This occurrence took place in 1920 and even with the
clear evidence displayed by his experiment, it wasn’t until the 1950’s that
other researchers adopted the idea that chemical transmissions are more common
and frequent than electrical transmissions.
The truly most special and peculiar
detail in Otto Loewi‘s idea of chemical synapses was how it actually occurred. The
details of his idea came to him in a dream. This event not only made an
accurate production of data and showed how to execute such an idea, but it also
took dreams and what they represent to a whole other level.
Loewi's frog experiment gave much insight on what was really occurring at the synapse and showed that the method by which nerves send their messages was not only through electrical synapses, but was more often chemical.
Communication of information between neurons is accomplished by movement of chemicals across a small gap called the synapse. Chemicals, called neurotransmitters, are released from one neuron at the presynaptic nerve terminal. Neurotransmitters then cross the synapse where they may be accepted by the next neuron at a specialized site called a receptor.From this experiment, Loewi hypothesized that electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve released a chemical into the fluid of heart chamber t #1 that flowed into the heart chamber #2. He called this chemical "Vagusstoff". We now know this chemical as the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. This experiment was actually my favorite! It’s amazing how he was able to do this!!
ReplyDeleteIt’s amazing how Otto Loewi dream changed his life, his discovery was something to remember and take into consideration since it made everything much clear for many researchers. Also it is interesting to learn how this man made the difference for many also the way he adopted the idea that chemical transmissions are more common and frequent than electrical transmissions.
ReplyDeleteOtto Loewi's experiment was something I was very intrigued by as soon as I read about it in the chapter. The fact that he got the idea for it from a dream is enlightening, because I strongly believe all dreams are connected to our conscious existence. "Loewi was lucky. The European frogs he used break down acetylcholine rather slowly. If he had been working with American frogs he might not have gotten the same results."
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