Stretch Receptor Models I - Single-Efferent Single-Afferent Innervation

Two lumped parameter models of muscle stretch receptors are described quantitatively on the basis of experimental data from crustacean, amphibian, and mammalian muscle spindles. These models have single-efferent (input) and single-afferent (output) innervation. It is shown that these simple mechanical models can account for many of the behavioral characteristics exhibited by muscle spindle, but are inadequate for a complete model. These inadequacies are discussed. The two models are shown to be sufficiently similar in their transient and steady-state responses to be physiologically equivalent from a systems viewpoint.