Saccular afferents to second-order cochlear neurons. An horseradish peroxidase and immunocytochemical study.
Previous studies have described a primary afferent vestibular projection to second-order cochlear neurons originating from the saccular maculae. As could be shown in the guinea pig by means of anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase and immuno-cytochemistry, these saccular afferents terminated at cells immunoreactive to glutamate and aspartate but not to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These were intermingled among the fibers of the acoustic striae and situated between the dorsal cochlear nucleus and the octopus cell area. Within the acoustic striae, these saccular afferents appear to have a close relationship to GABA-immunoreactive structures, such as boutons en passant and terminal boutons. This striking relationship, along with cytoarchitectural criteria and the saccular input to these second-order cochlear neurons, gave reason to discern them as a separate cell group.
First ENT Clinic, University of Vienna, Austria.
M
M
Burian
M
M
Cartellieri
C
C
Wutschitz
W
W
Gstoettner
D000344:Afferent Pathways; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D003051:Cochlea / Q000294:innervation*; D005971:Glutamates / Q000032:analysis; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D012444:Saccule and Utricle / Q000294:innervation*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis
D005971:Glutamates; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase