[Immunocytochemical study of gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic innervation in the end-organs of human vestibule].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) innervation in the end-organs of human vestibule.


METHODS
A modified pre-embedding immunostaining technique of immunoelectron microscopy were applied to accomplish this study with a polyclonal antibody to gamma-aminobutyric acid.


RESULTS
GABA-immunoreactive products were confined to the nerve terminals, which were rich in synaptic vesicles and the non-myelinated fibers. The GABA-immunoreactive nerve fibers synapse with afferent calices surrounding the type I hair cells.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that GABAergic fibers of human vestibular end-organs belong to the vestibular efferent system.
Kong
W
W
University of Innsbruck, Austria and Department of Otorhinolaryngology Union Hospital, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan 430022.
Hussl
B
B
Schrott-Fischer
A
A
D006801:Humans; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000294:innervation / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid