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MacLeod KM, Pandya S. Expression and Neurotransmitter Association of the Synaptic Calcium Sensor Synaptotagmin in the Avian Auditory Brain Stem. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2022; 23:701-720. [PMID: 35999323 PMCID: PMC9789253 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-022-00863-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In the avian auditory brain stem, acoustic timing and intensity cues are processed in separate, parallel pathways via the two divisions of the cochlear nucleus, nucleus angularis (NA) and nucleus magnocellularis (NM). Differences in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic properties, such as release probability and short-term plasticity, contribute to differential processing of the auditory nerve inputs. We investigated the distribution of synaptotagmin, a putative calcium sensor for exocytosis, via immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence in the embryonic and hatchling chick brain stem (Gallus gallus). We found that the two major isoforms, synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1) and synaptotagmin 2 (Syt2), showed differential expression. In the NM, anti-Syt2 label was strong and resembled the endbulb terminals of the auditory nerve inputs, while anti-Syt1 label was weaker and more punctate. In NA, both isoforms were intensely expressed throughout the neuropil. A third isoform, synaptotagmin 7 (Syt7), was largely absent from the cochlear nuclei. In nucleus laminaris (NL, the target nucleus of NM), anti-Syt2 and anti-Syt7 strongly labeled the dendritic lamina. These patterns were established by embryonic day 18 and persisted to postnatal day 7. Double-labeling immunofluorescence showed that Syt1 and Syt2 were associated with vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGluT2), but not vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT), suggesting that these Syt isoforms were localized to excitatory, but not inhibitory, terminals. These results suggest that Syt2 is the major calcium binding protein underlying excitatory neurotransmission in the timing pathway comprising NM and NL, while Syt2 and Syt1 regulate excitatory transmission in the parallel intensity pathway via cochlear nucleus NA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina M MacLeod
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
| | - Sangeeta Pandya
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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2
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Saleh AJ, Nothwang HG. Differential expression of microRNAs in the developing avian auditory hindbrain. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:3477-3496. [PMID: 34180540 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The avian auditory hindbrain is a longstanding model for studying neural circuit development. Information on gene regulatory network (GRN) components underlying this process, however, is scarce. Recently, the spatiotemporal expression of 12 microRNAs (miRNAs) was investigated in the mammalian auditory hindbrain. As a comparative study, we here investigated the spatiotemporal expression of the orthologous miRNAs during development of the chicken auditory hindbrain. All miRNAs were expressed both at E13, an immature stage, and P14, a mature stage of the auditory system. In most auditory nuclei, a homogeneous expression pattern was observed at both stages, like the mammalian system. An exception was the nucleus magnocellularis (NM). There, at E13, nine miRNAs showed a differential expression pattern along the cochleotopic axis with high expression at the rostromedial pole. One of them showed a gradient expression whereas eight showed a spatially selective expression at the rostral pole that reflected the different rhombomeric origins of this composite nucleus. The miRNA differential expression persisted in the NM to the mature stage, with the selective expression changed to linear gradients. Bioinformatics analysis predicted mRNA targets that are associated with neuronal developmental processes such as neurite and synapse organization, calcium and ephrin-Eph signaling, and neurotransmission. Overall, this first analysis of miRNAs in the chicken central auditory system reveals shared and strikingly distinct features between chicken and murine orthologues. The embryonic gradient expression of these GRN elements in the NM adds miRNA patterns to the list of cochleotopic and developmental gradients in the central auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Jason Saleh
- Division of Neurogenetics and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Hans Gerd Nothwang
- Division of Neurogenetics and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center for Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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3
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Γ-Aminobutyric acid in adult brain: an update. Behav Brain Res 2019; 376:112224. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Alvarado JC, Fuentes-Santamaría V, Gabaldón-Ull MC, Jareño-Flores T, Miller JM, Juiz JM. Noise-Induced "Toughening" Effect in Wistar Rats: Enhanced Auditory Brainstem Responses Are Related to Calretinin and Nitric Oxide Synthase Upregulation. Front Neuroanat 2016; 10:19. [PMID: 27065815 PMCID: PMC4815363 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2016.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
An appropriate conditioning noise exposure may reduce a subsequent noise-induced threshold shift. Although this "toughening" effect helps to protect the auditory system from a subsequent traumatic noise exposure, the mechanisms that regulate this protective process are not fully understood yet. Accordingly, the goal of the present study was to characterize physiological processes associated with "toughening" and to determine their relationship to metabolic changes in the cochlea and cochlear nucleus (CN). Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were evaluated in Wistar rats before and after exposures to a sound conditioning protocol consisting of a broad-band white noise of 118 dB SPL for 1 h every 72 h, four times. After the last ABR evaluation, animals were perfused and their cochleae and brains removed and processed for the activity markers calretinin (CR) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Toughening was demonstrated by a progressively faster recovery of the threshold shift, as well as wave amplitudes and latencies over time. Immunostaining revealed an increase in CR and nNOS levels in the spiral ganglion, spiral ligament, and CN in noise-conditioned rats. Overall, these results suggest that the protective mechanisms of the auditory toughening effect initiate in the cochlea and extend to the central auditory system. Such phenomenon might be in part related to an interplay between CR and nitric oxide signaling pathways, and involve an increased cytosolic calcium buffering capacity induced by the noise conditioning protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C Alvarado
- Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades NeurológicasAlbacete, Spain; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Castilla-La ManchaAlbacete, Spain
| | - Verónica Fuentes-Santamaría
- Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades NeurológicasAlbacete, Spain; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Castilla-La ManchaAlbacete, Spain
| | - María C Gabaldón-Ull
- Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades NeurológicasAlbacete, Spain; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Castilla-La ManchaAlbacete, Spain
| | - Tania Jareño-Flores
- Grupo de Neurobiología de la Audición, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Josef M Miller
- Center for Hearing and Communication Research and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetStockholm, Sweden; Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI, USA
| | - José M Juiz
- Instituto de Investigación en Discapacidades NeurológicasAlbacete, Spain; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Castilla-La ManchaAlbacete, Spain
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5
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Heterogeneous calretinin expression in the avian cochlear nucleus angularis. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2014; 15:603-20. [PMID: 24752525 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-014-0453-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs) are expressed at high levels and in complementary patterns in the auditory pathways of birds, mammals, and other vertebrates, but whether specific members of the CaBP family can be used to identify neuronal subpopulations is unclear. We used double immunofluorescence labeling of calretinin (CR) in combination with neuronal markers to investigate the distribution of CR-expressing neurons in brainstem sections of the cochlear nucleus in the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus). While CR was homogeneously expressed in cochlear nucleus magnocellularis, CR expression was highly heterogeneous in cochlear nucleus angularis (NA), a nucleus with diverse cell types analogous in function to neurons in the mammalian ventral cochlear nucleus. To quantify the distribution of CR in the total NA cell population, we used antibodies against neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN), a postmitotic neuron-specific nuclear marker. In NA neurons, NeuN label was variably localized to the cell nucleus and the cytoplasm, and the intensity of NeuN immunoreactivity was inversely correlated with the intensity of CR immunoreactivity. The percentage of CR + neurons in NA increased from 31 % in embryonic (E)17/18 chicks, to 44 % around hatching (E21), to 51 % in postnatal day (P) 8 chicks. By P8, the distribution of CR + neurons was uniform, both rostrocaudal and in the tonotopic (dorsoventral) axis. Immunoreactivity for the voltage-gated potassium ion channel Kv1.1, used as a marker for physiological type, showed broad and heterogeneous postsynaptic expression in NA, but did not correlate with CR expression. These results suggest that CR may define a subpopulation of neurons within nucleus angularis.
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Li J, Zhou X, Huang L, Fu X, Liu J, Zhang X, Sun Y, Zuo M. Alteration of CaBP expression pattern in the nucleus magnocellularis following unilateral cochlear ablation in adult zebra finches. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79297. [PMID: 24244471 PMCID: PMC3828381 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 09/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Songbirds have the rare ability of auditory-vocal learning and maintenance. Up to now, the organization and function of the nucleus magnocellularis (NM), the first relay of the avian ascending auditory pathway is largely based on studies in non-vocal learning species, such as chickens and owls. To investigate whether NM exhibits different histochemical properties associated with auditory processing in songbirds, we examined the expression patterns of three calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs), including calretinin (CR), parvalbumin (PV) and calbindin-D28k (CB), and their relations to auditory inputs in NM in adult zebra finches. We found enriched and co-localized immunostaining of CR, PV and CB in the majority of NM neurons, without neuronal population preference. Furthermore, they were sensitive to adult deafferentation with differential plasticity patterns. After unilateral cochlear removal, CR staining in the ipsilateral NM decreased appreciably at 3 days after surgery, and continued to decline thereafter. PV staining showed down-regulation first at 3 days, but subsequently recovered slightly. CB staining did not significantly decrease until 7 days after surgery. Our findings suggest that the three CaBPs might play distinct roles in association with auditory processing in zebra finches. These results are in contrast to the findings in the NM of chickens where CR is the predominant CaBP and deafferentation had no apparent effect on its expression. Further extended studies in other avian species are required to establish whether the difference in CaBP patterns in NM is functionally related to the different auditory-vocal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Laboratory of Neuroscience and Brain Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Laboratory of Neuroscience and Brain Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Biology, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
| | - Xin Fu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Laboratory of Neuroscience and Brain Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Laboratory of Neuroscience and Brain Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinwen Zhang
- Department of Biology, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
| | - Yingyu Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Laboratory of Neuroscience and Brain Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Mingxue Zuo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Laboratory of Neuroscience and Brain Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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7
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Wadhwa S, Bhavnani EM, Wadhwa S. Expression of calcium-binding proteins in the chick auditory nuclei following prenatal auditory stimulation. J ANAT SOC INDIA 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/s0003-2778(13)80003-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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8
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Morona R, González A. Pattern of calbindin-D28k and calretinin immunoreactivity in the brain of Xenopus laevis during embryonic and larval development. J Comp Neurol 2013; 521:79-108. [PMID: 22678695 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2012] [Revised: 05/07/2012] [Accepted: 06/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The present study represents a detailed spatiotemporal analysis of the localization of calbindin-D28k (CB) and calretinin (CR) immunoreactive structures in the brain of Xenopus laevis throughout development, conducted with the aim to correlate the onset of the immunoreactivity with the development of compartmentalization of distinct subdivisions recently identified in the brain of adult amphibians and primarily highlighted when analyzed within a segmental paradigm. CR and CB are expressed early in the brain and showed a progressively increasing expression throughout development, although transient expression in some neuronal subpopulations was also noted. Common and distinct characteristics in Xenopus, as compared with reported features during development in the brain of mammals, were observed. The development of specific regions in the forebrain such as the olfactory bulbs, the components of the basal ganglia and the amygdaloid complex, the alar and basal hypothalamic regions, and the distinct diencephalic neuromeres could be analyzed on the basis of the distinct expression of CB and CR in subregions. Similarly, the compartments of the mesencephalon and the main rhombencephalic regions, including the cerebellum, were differently highlighted by their specific content in CB and CR throughout development. Our results show the usefulness of the analysis of the distribution of these proteins as a tool in neuroanatomy to interpret developmental aspects of many brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Morona
- Department of Cell Biology, University Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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9
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Yan K, Tang YZ, Carr CE. Calcium-binding protein immunoreactivity characterizes the auditory system of Gekko gecko. J Comp Neurol 2010; 518:3409-26. [PMID: 20589907 PMCID: PMC3170861 DOI: 10.1002/cne.22428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Geckos use vocalizations for intraspecific communication, but little is known about the organization of their central auditory system. We therefore used antibodies against the calcium-binding proteins calretinin (CR), parvalbumin (PV), and calbindin-D28k (CB) to characterize the gecko auditory system. We also examined expression of both glutamic acid decarboxlase (GAD) and synaptic vesicle protein (SV2). Western blots showed that these antibodies are specific to gecko brain. All three calcium-binding proteins were expressed in the auditory nerve, and CR immunoreactivity labeled the first-order nuclei and delineated the terminal fields associated with the ascending projections from the first-order auditory nuclei. PV expression characterized the superior olivary nuclei, whereas GAD immunoreactivity characterized many neurons in the nucleus of the lateral lemniscus and some neurons in the torus semicircularis. In the auditory midbrain, the distribution of CR, PV, and CB characterized divisions within the central nucleus of the torus semicircularis. All three calcium-binding proteins were expressed in nucleus medialis of the thalamus. These expression patterns are similar to those described for other vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Yan
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
| | - Ye-Zhong Tang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 610041 Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Catherine E. Carr
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
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10
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Camp AJ, Wijesinghe R. Calretinin: Modulator of neuronal excitability. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2009; 41:2118-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2009.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2009] [Revised: 05/03/2009] [Accepted: 05/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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11
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Increase of Kv3.1b expression in avian auditory brainstem neurons correlates with synaptogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Brain Res 2009; 1302:64-75. [PMID: 19766604 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.09.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2009] [Revised: 06/22/2009] [Accepted: 09/14/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In the auditory system voltage-activated currents mediated by potassium channels Kv1.1 and Kv3.1b and their interaction with sodium inward currents play a crucial role for computational function. However, it is unresolved how these potassium channels are developmentally regulated. We have therefore combined a biochemical investigation of Kv1.1 and Kv3.1b protein expression with electrophysiological recordings of membrane currents to characterize neuronal differentiation in the auditory brain stem of the chick. Differentiation in vitro was compared with cells prepared from corresponding embryonic stages in vivo. Using a computer model based on the empirical data we were then able to predict physiological properties of developing auditory brain stem neurons. In vivo Kv3.1b expression increased strongly between E10 and E14, a time of functional synaptogenesis in the auditory brainstem. We also found this increase of expression in vitro, again coinciding with synaptogenesis in the cultures. Whole-cell patch recordings revealed a corresponding increase of the (Kv3.1-like) high threshold potassium current. In contrast, Kv1.1 protein expression failed to increase in vitro, and changes in (Kv1.1-like) low threshold potassium current with time in culture were not significant. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that sodium inward currents increased with cultivation time. Thus, our data suggest that Kv3.1b expression occurs with the onset of functional synaptogenesis, while a different signal, absent from cultures of dissociated auditory brain stem, is needed for Kv1.1 expression. A biophysical model constructed with parameters from our recordings was used to investigate the functional impact of the currents mediated by these channels. We found that during development both high and low threshold potassium currents need to be increased in a concerted manner with the sodium conductance for the neurons to exhibit fast and phasic action potential firing and a narrow time window of coincidence detection.
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Wirth MJ, Kuenzel T, Luksch H, Wagner H. Identification of auditory neurons by retrograde labelling for patch-clamp recordings in a mixed culture of chick brainstem. J Neurosci Methods 2007; 169:55-64. [PMID: 18206245 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2007.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2007] [Revised: 10/16/2007] [Accepted: 11/21/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
We present a method to identify specific sub-populations of auditory neurons in a mixed primary cell culture of the chicken brainstem, allowing the study of individual neurons with a known identity in vitro. To label specific afferent cell types, we injected retrograde tracers (dextrans coupled to fluorescent dyes) into either the mid-line or the superior olivary nuclei (SON) of the isolated chicken brainstem in vitro. Mid-line injections resulted in stable labelling of neurons of the nucleus magnocellularis (NM), whereas injections into the SON retrogradely labelled neurons of the nucleus laminaris (NL). The fluorescent label survives the dissociation procedure and is detectable for at least 1 week in vitro. Only about 0.1% of all cells in vitro are pre-labelled. The auditory identity of the pre-labelled neurons was confirmed with calretinin immunocytochemistry and electrophysiological recordings, where the cells had typical firing patterns of auditory brainstem neurons. In the future, this method can be combined with single cell PCR to match nuclear origin, firing patterns and the expression of functional molecules in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus J Wirth
- Institute of Biology II, RWTH Aachen, Kopernikusstrasse 16, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
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Kuenzel T, Mönig B, Wagner H, Mey J, Luksch H. Neuronal differentiation of the early embryonic auditory hindbrain of the chicken in primary culture. Eur J Neurosci 2007; 25:974-84. [PMID: 17331194 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05343.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Neurons in the auditory hindbrain pathway of the chicken are physiologically and morphologically highly specialized. It remains unclear to what extent independent differentiation vs. activity-dependent mechanisms determines the development of this system. To address this question we established a primary culture system of the early auditory hindbrain neurons. Primary cultures of neurons from nucleus magnocellularis and nucleus laminaris were prepared from embryonic day 6.5 chicken. These cells developed in culture under serum-free conditions for up to 15 days. Immunocytochemical staining and whole-cell patch recordings were used to characterize the development of the neurons. A stable expression of the calcium-binding protein calretinin, which serves as a characteristic marker of the auditory pathway, was found at all stages. A voltage-gated potassium channel (Kv3.1b) with a specific function in the auditory system was also expressed after about 1 week in culture. Electrophysiological recordings showed a general maturation of the neuronal phenotype as reflected by an increase in the mean resting membrane potential, a decrease in the mean input resistance as well as a maturation of action potential parameters. Four groups of neurons that generate action potentials could be distinguished. One of these showed the phasic firing pattern of auditory brainstem neurons known from slice preparations. In older cultures we demonstrated functional synaptogenesis in vitro by recording postsynaptic activity elicited by extracellular stimulation and styryl dye loading of vesicles. Thus, isolated neurons from the auditory region of the avian brainstem differentiate to specific neuronal subtypes and autonomously develop synaptic connections in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kuenzel
- Institute of Biology 2, RWTH Aachen, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
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14
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MacLeod KM, Soares D, Carr CE. Interaural timing difference circuits in the auditory brainstem of the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae). J Comp Neurol 2006; 495:185-201. [PMID: 16435285 PMCID: PMC2948976 DOI: 10.1002/cne.20862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In the auditory system, precise encoding of temporal information is critical for sound localization, a task with direct behavioral relevance. Interaural timing differences (ITDs) are computed using axonal delay lines and cellular coincidence detectors in nucleus laminaris (NL). We present morphological and physiological data on the timing circuits in the emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae, and compare these results with those from the barn owl (Tyto alba) and the domestic chick (Gallus gallus). Emu NL was composed of a compact monolayer of bitufted neurons whose two thick primary dendrites were oriented dorsoventrally. They showed a gradient in dendritic length along the presumed tonotopic axis. The NL and nucleus magnocellularis (NM) neurons were strongly immunoreactive for parvalbumin, a calcium-binding protein. Antibodies against synaptic vesicle protein 2 and glutamic acid decarboxlyase revealed that excitatory synapses terminated heavily on the dendritic tufts, while inhibitory terminals were distributed more uniformly. Physiological recordings from brainstem slices demonstrated contralateral delay lines from NM to NL. During whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, NM and NL neurons fired single spikes and were doubly rectifying. NL and NM neurons had input resistances of 30.0 +/- 19.9 Momega and 49.0 +/- 25.6 Momega, respectively, and membrane time constants of 12.8 +/- 3.8 ms and 3.9 +/- 0.2 ms. These results provide further support for the Jeffress model for sound localization in birds. The emu timing circuits showed the ancestral (plesiomorphic) pattern in their anatomy and physiology, while differences in dendritic structure compared to chick and owl may indicate specialization for encoding ITDs at low best frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina M MacLeod
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
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Alvarado JC, Fuentes-Santamaria V, Franklin SR, Brunso-Bechtold JK, Henkel CK. Unilateral cochlear ablation in adult ferrets results in upregulation in calretinin immunostaining in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus. Neuroscience 2006; 136:957-69. [PMID: 16344163 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2005] [Revised: 03/26/2005] [Accepted: 04/05/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, unilateral cochlear ablations were performed in adult ferrets in order to determine whether an upregulation of the calretinin immunostained plexus in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus occurs and if so, what the time course of this upregulation is. Accordingly, the mean gray level and the calretinin-immunostained area of the axonal plexus in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus were evaluated at 1, 20 and 90 days after cochlear ablation. In unoperated animals, the calretinin-immunostained plexus was bilaterally symmetric. In ablated animals, both the mean gray level and the immunostained area of the plexus increased in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus contralateral to the lesion compared with both the ipsilateral side and unoperated animals. This upregulation was present 24 h after the ablation and did not change at the two subsequent time points. In a previous study in young ferrets, the immunostained area of the plexus in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus contralateral to the lesion increased 200% compared with control ferrets [J Comp Neurol 460 (2003) 585], whereas it increased only 33% in adult ferrets. These findings suggest that 1) calretinin upregulation in the contralateral central nucleus of the inferior colliculus following cochlear ablation occurs by 24 h after cochlear ablation and 2) there is an age-related decline in the magnitude of this upregulation after cochlear ablation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Alvarado
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1010, USA. jalvarad@@wfubmc.edu
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16
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Pór A, Pocsai K, Rusznák Z, Szucs G. Presence and distribution of three calcium binding proteins in projection neurons of the adult rat cochlear nucleus. Brain Res 2005; 1039:63-74. [PMID: 15781047 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2005.01.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2004] [Revised: 01/12/2005] [Accepted: 01/12/2005] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The presence and distribution of three cytoplasmic calcium binding proteins, calbindin, calretinin, and parvalbumin, have been investigated in the projection neurons of the cochlear nucleus complex in adult rats by using immunohistochemistry in free-floating slices. Identification of the individual cell types was carried out on the basis of their intranuclear localization, morphological characteristics, and (in the cases of pyramidal and bushy neurons) by retrograde labeling with rhodamine-dextran. The most important findings were confirmed by using confocal microscopy. The data obtained in these experiments are the first to demonstrate the presence of parvalbumin in pyramidal neurons and globular and spherical bushy cells of rat cochlear nucleus, whereas octopus and giant cells did not show positivity for parvalbumin. Calretinin was not present in either Purkinje-like cells or giant neurons. According to the double immunolabeling co-localization experiments, the pyramidal neurons, Purkinje-like cells, globular bushy cells, and octopus cells express two different calcium binding proteins in their cytoplasm (although in different combinations) whereas giant cells and spherical bushy cells contain solely calbindin and parvalbumin, respectively. The presence of calretinin in globular bushy cells provides a tool for distinguishing them from spherical bushy cells. The immunolabeling of the fibers and axonal endings of the acoustic nerve in the ventral part of the cochlear nucleus indicated that these structures are also parvalbumin positive. It is concluded that the heterogenous cell composition of the cochlear nucleus is accompanied by a rather complex expression pattern of the cytoplasmic calcium binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Pór
- Department of Physiology, Medical and Health Science Center, University of Debrecen, PO Box 22, H-4012 Debrecen, Hungary
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Fuentes-Santamaria V, Alvarado JC, Taylor AR, Brunso-Bechtold JK, Henkel CK. Quantitative changes in calretinin immunostaining in the cochlear nuclei after unilateral cochlear removal in young ferrets. J Comp Neurol 2005; 483:458-75. [PMID: 15700274 PMCID: PMC1913210 DOI: 10.1002/cne.20437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Neurons of the cochlear nuclei receive axosomatic endings from primary afferent fibers from the cochlea and have projections that diverge to form parallel ascending auditory pathways. These cells are characterized by neurochemical phenotypes such as levels of calretinin. To test whether or not early deafferentation results in changes in calretinin immunostaining in the cochlear nucleus, unilateral cochlear ablations were performed in ferrets soon after hearing onset (postnatal day [P]30-P40). Two months later, changes in calretinin immunostaining as well as cell size, volume, and synaptophysin immunostaining were assessed in the anteroventral (AVCN), posteroventral (PVCN), and dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). A decrease in calretinin immunostaining was evident ipsilaterally within the AVCN and PVCN but not in the DCN. Further analysis revealed a decrease both in the calretinin-immunostained neuropil and in the calretinin-immunostained area within AVCN and PVCN neurons. These declines were accompanied by significant ipsilateral decreases in volume as well as neuron area in the AVCN and PVCN compared with the contralateral cochlear nucleus and unoperated animals, but not compared with the DCN. In addition, there was a significant contralateral increase in calretinin-immunostained area within AVCN and PVCN neurons compared with control animals. Finally, a decrease in area of synaptophysin immunostaining in both the ipsilateral AVCN and PVCN without changes in the number of boutons was found. The present data demonstrate that unilateral cochlear ablation leads to 1) decreased immunostaining of the neuropil in the AVCN and PVCN ipsilaterally, 2) decreased calretinin immunostaining within AVCN and PVCN neurons ipsilaterally, 3) synaptogenesis in the AVCN and PVCN ipsilaterally, and 4) increased calretinin immunostaining within AVCN and PVCN neurons contralaterally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Fuentes-Santamaria
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1010, USA.
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18
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Jacobowitz DM. Professional biographical sketch. Neurotox Res 2004; 6:i-xiv. [PMID: 15614981 DOI: 10.1007/bf03033445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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19
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Lu Y, Rubel EW. Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors inhibits high-voltage-gated calcium channel currents of chicken nucleus magnocellularis neurons. J Neurophysiol 2004; 93:1418-28. [PMID: 15371493 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00659.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Using whole cell patch-clamp recordings, we pharmacologically characterized the voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (VGCC) currents of chicken nucleus magnocellularis (NM) neurons using barium as the charge carrier. NM neurons possessed both low- and high-voltage-activated Ca2+ channel currents (HVA I(Ba2+)). The N-type channel blocker (omega-conotoxin-GVIA) inhibited more than half of the total HVA I(Ba2+), whereas blockers of L- and P/Q-type channels each inhibited a small fraction of the current. Metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-mediated modulation of the HVA I(Ba2+) was examined by bath application of glutamate (100 microM), which inhibited the HVA I(Ba2+) by an average of 16%. The inhibitory effect was dose dependent and was partially blocked by omega-conotoxin-GVIA, indicating that mGluRs modulate N and other type HVA I(Ba2+). The nonspecific mGluR agonist, (1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarbosylic acid (1S,3R-ACPD), mimicked the inhibitory effect of glutamate on HVA I(Ba2+). Group I-III mGluR agonists showed inhibition of the HVA current with the most potent being the group III agonist L(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid. 1S,3R-ACPD (200 microM) had no effect on K+ or Na+ currents. The firing properties of NM neurons were also not altered by 1S,3R-ACPD. We propose that the inhibition of VGCC currents by mGluRs limits depolarization-induced Ca2+ entry into these highly active NM neurons and regulates their Ca2+ homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Lu
- Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Box 357923, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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20
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Alvarado JC, Fuentes-Santamaria V, Henkel CK, Brunso-Bechtold JK. Alterations in calretinin immunostaining in the ferret superior olivary complex after cochlear ablation. J Comp Neurol 2004; 470:63-79. [PMID: 14755526 DOI: 10.1002/cne.11038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we used image analysis to assess changes in calretinin immunoreactivity in the lateral (LSO) and medial (MSO) superior olivary nuclei in ferrets 2 months after unilateral cochlear ablations at 30-40 days of age, soon after hearing onset. These two nuclei are the first significant sites of binaural convergence in the ascending auditory system, and both receive direct projections from the deafferented cochlear nucleus. Cochlear ablation results in a decrease in the overall level of calretinin immunostaining within the LSO ipsilaterally compared with the contralateral side and with control animals and within the MSO bilaterally compared with control ferrets. In addition, the level of calretinin immunostaining ipsilaterally within neurons in the LSO was significantly less in cochlear ablated than control animals. In contrast, there was no effect of cochlear ablation on the level of calretinin immunostaining within neurons either in the contralateral LSO or in the MSO. These results are consistent with a downregulation in calretinin within the neuropil of MSO bilaterally and LSO ipsilaterally, as well as a downregulation in calretinin within somata in the ipsilateral LSO as a result of unilateral cochlear ablation soon after hearing onset. Thus, cochlear-driven activity appears to affect calcium binding protein levels in both neuropil and neurons within the superior olivary complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Alvarado
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1010, USA.
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21
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Rubel EW, Parks TN, Zirpel L. Assembling, Connecting, and Maintaining the Cochlear Nucleus. PLASTICITY OF THE AUDITORY SYSTEM 2004. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4757-4219-0_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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22
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Molea D, Rubel EW. Timing and topography of nucleus magnocellularis innervation by the cochlear ganglion. J Comp Neurol 2003; 466:577-91. [PMID: 14566951 DOI: 10.1002/cne.10896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This series of experiments examined the arrival and organization of cochlear nerve axons in the primary auditory brainstem nucleus, nucleus magnocellularis (NM), of the chick. DiI and DiD were injected into the cochlear nerve, cochlear ganglion, and basilar papilla (i.e., avian cochlea) in fixed tissue and labeled axons were studied in NM and its vicinity. Cochlear nerve axons first penetrate NM between stages 29 (E6) and 36 (E10). Axons penetrate NM in a middle-to-posterior-to-anterior developmental sequence; the anterior, high-frequency region of NM receives axons last. When cochlear nerve axons arrive in the NM, they are already organized in a topographic map related to the position of their cell bodies along the basilar papilla, foreshadowing the tonotopic mapping observed between NM and the basilar papilla later in development. Evidence of a topographic map was also observed in the other primary auditory brainstem nucleus, nucleus angularis. These results indicate that topographic mapping of position (and ultimately characteristic frequency) between the basilar papilla and NM is established as cochlear nerve axons arrive in the NM prior to the onset of synaptic activity. .
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Affiliation(s)
- David Molea
- Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-7923, USA
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23
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WILKINSON BL, JEROMIN A, RODER J, HYSON RL. Activity-dependent regulation of the subcellular localization of neuronal calcium sensor-1 in the avian cochlear nucleus. Neuroscience 2003; 117:957-64. [PMID: 12654347 PMCID: PMC1847351 DOI: 10.1016/s0306-4522(02)00928-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Neurons in the avian cochlear nucleus, nucleus magnocellularis (NM), are highly sensitive to manipulations of afferent input, and removal of afferent activity through cochlear ablation results in the death of approximately 20-40% of ipsilateral NM neurons. The intracellular cascades that determine whether an individual NM neuron will die or survive are not fully understood. One early event observed in NM following deafferentation is a rapid rise in intracellular calcium concentration. In most cellular systems, the activity of calcium-binding proteins is believed to accommodate calcium influx. The calcium-binding protein, neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1), is an intracellular neuronal calcium sensor belonging to the EF-hand superfamily. NCS-1 has been implicated in calcium-dependent regulation of signaling cascades. To evaluate NCS-1 action in NM neurons, the localization of NCS-1 protein was examined. Double-label immunofluorescence experiments revealed that NCS-1 expression is evident in both the presynaptic nerve terminal and postsynaptic NM neuron. The postsynaptic expression of NCS-1 typically appears to be closely associated with the cell membrane. This close proximity of NCS-1 to the postsynaptic membrane could allow NCS-1 to function as a modulator of postsynaptic signaling events. Following deafferentation, NM neurons were more likely to show diffuse cytoplasmic NCS-1 labeling. This increase in the number of cells showing diffuse cytoplasmic labeling was observed 12 and 24 h following cochlea ablation, but was not observed 4 days following surgery. This activity-dependent regulation of NCS-1 subcellular localization suggests it may be associated with, or influenced by, processes important for the survival of NM neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. L. WILKINSON
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
| | - A. JEROMIN
- Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ont., M5G 1X5 Canada
| | - J. RODER
- Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ont., M5G 1X5 Canada
| | - R. L. HYSON
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
- *Corresponding author. Tel: +1-850-644-5824; fax: +1-850-644-7739, E-mail address: (R. L. Hyson)
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Fuentes-Santamaria V, Alvarado JC, Brunso-Bechtold JK, Henkel CK. Upregulation of calretinin immunostaining in the ferret inferior colliculus after cochlear ablation. J Comp Neurol 2003; 460:585-96. [PMID: 12717716 DOI: 10.1002/cne.10676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In many systems, including ascending auditory pathways, calcium-binding proteins are markers of specific neuronal circuits. Previous studies suggest that calretinin immunostaining may be a specific marker for circuits in the inferior colliculus (IC) that code timing information. We undertook experiments to determine the changes in calretinin immunostaining in the IC that take place in response to cochlear ablation. Cochlear ablation was performed unilaterally in ferrets just after hearing onset. Animals survived for 2-3 months after ablation and brains were then processed for calretinin immunocytochemistry. The mean optical density and stained area of the calretinin immunopositive plexus in the IC were determined for five coronal sections through the right and left IC. In controls (n = 3), measurements of these parameters in the central nucleus of the IC showed symmetry between the two sides. In experimental animals (n = 8) the calretinin immunopositive plexus contralateral to the cochlear ablation was denser and larger than that in either the ipsilateral IC or in the IC of control animals. The calretinin plexus in the ipsilateral IC was slightly less dense and smaller than in controls but the differences did not reach statistical significance. IC volume measurements and synaptophysin immunostaining analysis in the central nucleus of the IC revealed no statistical differences between ablated and control animals or between the two sides in ablated animals. The significant increase in both mean optical density and immunostained area of the calretinin plexus in the IC contralateral to the cochlear ablation may reflect an upregulation in calretinin expression in the nuclei that contribute to this plexus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Fuentes-Santamaria
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1010, USA
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25
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Szucs G, Rusznák Z. Cellular regulatory mechanisms influencing the activity of the cochlear nucleus: a review. ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA HUNGARICA 2003; 89:375-414. [PMID: 12489750 DOI: 10.1556/aphysiol.89.2002.4.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The cochlear nucleus is the site in the auditory pathway where the primary sensory information carried by the fibres of the acoustic nerve is transmitted to the second-order neurones. According to the generally accepted view this transmission is not a simple relay process but is considered as the first stage where the decoding of the auditory information begins. This notion is based on the diverse neurone composition and highly ordered structure of the nucleus, on the complex electrophysiological properties and activity patterns of the neurones, on the activity of local and descending modulatory mechanisms and on the presence of a highly sophisticated intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. This review puts emphasis on introducing the experimental findings supporting the above statements and on the questions which should be answered in order to gain a better understanding of the function of the cochlear nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Szucs
- Department of Physiology, Medical and Health Science Center, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
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26
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Hong SK, Kim JY, Jeon CJ. Immunocytochemical localization of calretinin in the superficial layers of the cat superior colliculus. Neurosci Res 2002; 44:325-35. [PMID: 12413661 DOI: 10.1016/s0168-0102(02)00154-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We localized calretinin-immunoreactive (IR) fibers and cells in the superior colliculus (SC) of the cat and studied the distribution and effect of enucleation on the distribution of this protein. Calretinin was localized with antibody immunocytochemistry. A dense plexus of anti-calretinin-IR fibers was found within the upper part of the superficial gray layer. Almost all of the labeled fibers were small diameter fibers with few varicosities. Monocular enucleation produced an almost complete reduction of calretinin-IR fibers in the SC contralateral to the enucleation. Furthermore, many calretinin-IR cells appeared in the contralateral SC. The newly appeared cells had small- to medium-sized vertical fusiform, oval or round, or stellate cell bodies. Two-color immunofluorescence revealed that no cells in the superficial layers expressed both calretinin and GABA. Many retinal ganglion cells were labeled after injections of retrograde axonal transport horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the superficial layers. However, no large cells were double-labeled with calretinin and HRP. More than 95% of the double-labeled cells were small cells (<15 microm). Based on the retinal ganglion cell size, we believe that the vast majority of calretinin-IR retinocollicular fibers in cat SC are small gamma type cells that have W type physiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Kyung Hong
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, 1370 Sankyuk-dong, 702-701, Daegu, South Korea.
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27
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Abstract
The neurons of the cochlear ganglion transmit acoustic information between the inner ear and the brain. These placodally derived neurons must produce a topographically precise pattern of connections in both the inner ear and the brain. In this review, we consider the current state of knowledge concerning the development of these neurons, their peripheral and central connections, and their influences on peripheral and central target cells. Relatively little is known about the cellular and molecular regulation of migration or the establishment of precise topographic connection to the hair cells or cochlear nucleus (CN) neurons. Studies of mice with neurotrophin deletions are beginning to yield increasing understanding of variations in ganglion cell survival and resulting innervation patterns, however. Finally, existing evidence suggests that while ganglion cells have little influence on the differentiation of their hair cell targets, quite the opposite is true in the brain. Ganglion cell innervation and synaptic activity are essential for normal development of neurons in the cochlear nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin W Rubel
- Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center, Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-7923, USA.
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28
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Billing-Marczak K, Buzanska L, Winsky L, Nowotny M, Rudka T, Isaacs K, Belin MF, Kuznicki J. AP2-like cis element is required for calretinin gene promoter activity in cells of neuronal phenotype differentiated from multipotent human cell line DEV. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2002; 1577:412-20. [PMID: 12359331 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-4781(02)00443-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Calretinin (CR) is an EF-hand calcium binding protein expressed at high level in neurons. To identify regulatory elements in CR gene promoter, cultured rat cortical cells were transfected with constructs containing its 5'-end deletion mutants and the luciferase reporter gene. A fragment ending at -115 bp upstream of the transcription start site had high promoter activity and was able to induce expression of luciferase specifically in neuronal cells of cortical cultures. The wild type sequence of -115/+54 CR promoter fragment preferentially drove the expression of green fluorescent protein analog in cells of neuronal phenotype differentiated from multipotent human cell line DEV. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) revealed that the -115/-71 CR gene promoter region contains a binding site for a factor present in brain nuclear extract. Among oligonucleotides containing consensus binding sites for transcription factors within this region, the one representing AP2 binding site was able to compete formation of a protein complex. Mutations of this site prevented the binding between brain protein(s) and the -115/+54 CR gene promoter region and abolished the preferential expression of reporter gene in neuronal cells of DEV line. Thus, the AP2-like element seems to be essential for the neuron-specific activity of the CR gene promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Billing-Marczak
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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29
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Kevetter GA, Leonard RB. Molecular probes of the vestibular nerve. II. Characterization of neurons in Scarpa's ganglion to determine separate populations within the nerve. Brain Res 2002; 928:18-29. [PMID: 11844468 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-8993(01)03264-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
An unambiguous delineation of the exact numbers and/or proportions of calyx-only, dimorph, and bouton-only vestibular afferents is needed to continue studies concerning vestibular integration in the nervous system. Here, we take advantage of immunocytochemical properties of three groups of vestibular afferents. We utilize calretinin to delineate the calyx-only population, and peripherin to stain the bouton-only afferents. An additional subgroup of afferents that stain with calbindin, but not calretinin is also introduced. The size of the cells that stain with these markers was determined. Cells that are calbindin-positive overlap the sizes of Nissl-stained somata. Cells that stain with peripherin or calretinin are non-overlapping with calretinin cells being the largest and peripherin-positive cells the smallest. Twenty percent of the ganglion cells were peripherin positive, another 20% stained with calretinin antibodies, 30% stained with calbindin, and all cells in Scarpa's ganglion stained with parvalbumin. Most of the calretinin-positive cells also stained with calbindin. One-third of the calbindin-positive population stained only with calbindin. These studies indicate that the calyx- and bouton-only populations of vestibular afferents in gerbil comprise at least 40% of the nerve. In addition, at least 10% of the nerve also stains with calbindin and neither calretinin nor peripherin. Based on indirect evidence, we hypothesize that these are a subpopulation of dimorph afferents. This study has provided an anatomical instrument (in addition to intracellular physiological methods) to study separate populations of vestibular afferents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Golda Anne Kevetter
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Dr., Galveston, TX 77555-1043, USA.
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30
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Idrizbegovic E, Canlon B, Bross LS, Willott JF, Bogdanovic N. The total number of neurons and calcium binding protein positive neurons during aging in the cochlear nucleus of CBA/CaJ mice: a quantitative study. Hear Res 2001; 158:102-15. [PMID: 11506942 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-5955(01)00295-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The quantitative stereological method, the optical fractionator, was used for determining the total number of neurons and the total number of neurons immunostained with parvalbumin, calbindin-D28k (calbindin), and calretinin in the dorsal and posteroventral cochlear nucleus (DCN and PVCN) in CBA/CaJ (CBA) mice during aging (1-39 months old). CBA mice have only a modest sensorineural pathology late in life. An age-related decrease of the total number of neurons was demonstrated in the DCN (r=-0.54, P<0.03), while the total number of neurons in the PVCN did not show any significant age-related differences (r=0.16, P=0.57). In the DCN 5.5% of neurons were parvalbumin positive in the very old (30-39 months) mice, vs. 2.2% in the 1 month old mice. In the DCN 3% of the neurons were calbindin immunopositive in the 30-39 months mice compared to 1.9% in the 1 month old group. In the PVCN, 20% of the neurons in the very old mice were parvalbumin immunopositive, compared to 12% in the young mice. Calbindin did not show any significant age-related differences in the PVCN. The total number of calretinin immunopositive neurons both in the DCN and PVCN did not show any significant change with increasing age. In conclusion, the total neuronal number in the DCN and PVCN was age-related and region-specific. While the neuronal number in the DCN and PVCN was decreased or unchanged, respectively, the calcium binding protein positive neuronal number showed a graded increase during aging in a region-specific and protein-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Idrizbegovic
- Deparment of Audiology, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
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31
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Abstract
Birds have proved to be extremely useful models for the study of hearing function. In particular, chickens and barn owls have been widely used by a number of researchers to study diverse aspects of auditory function. These studies have benefited from the advantages offered by each of these two species, including differences of auditory specialization. Direct comparisons between chickens and barn owls become complicated when the degree of auditory specialization and their modes of development are brought into consideration. In this article we review the available literature on the development of the auditory brainstem of chickens and barn owls in the context of such differences. In addition, we present a time line constructed on the basis of common stages of structural differentiation, rather than chronological time. We suggest that such a time line should be considered when discussing comparative data between these two species. Such an approach should facilitate the interpretation of similarities and differences observed in the developmental processes of the auditory system of chickens and barn owls.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F Kubke
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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32
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Abstract
The expression of the calcium-binding protein calretinin (CR) in the chick cochlear nucleus, nucleus magnocellularis (NM), was examined after unilateral cochlea removal in hatchlings and 3-week-old birds. Following survival times of 3, 6 or 12 h or 1, 3 or 7 days, CR mRNA was localized by in situ hybridization using a radiolabeled chick CR probe. Levels of CR protein were assessed by CR-immunoreactivity (CR-I) using a calcium-independent CR antiserum and immunohistochemistry. At survival times of 1 day or less, cochlea removal did not change relative levels of CR mRNA or CR-I in NM between the deafferented and the unoperated sides of the brain. Decreases in CR expression on the cochlea removal side were observed, however, at times that coincide with deafferentation-induced cell loss (3 and 7 days). Additionally, bilateral cochlea removal had no apparent effect on CR-I in NM neurons when compared to those in normal animals. Thus, CR mRNA and protein appear to be constitutively expressed in NM neurons and are not affected by sensory deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Stack
- Department of Biology, Texas Woman's University, Denton 76204-5799, USA
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33
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Zirpel L, Janowiak MA, Taylor DA, Parks TN. Developmental changes in metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated calcium homeostasis. J Comp Neurol 2000. [DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(20000522)421:1<95::aid-cne6>3.0.co;2-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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34
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Hack NJ, Billups B, Guthrie PB, Rogers JH, Muir EM, Parks TN, Kater SB. Green fluorescent protein as a quantitative tool. J Neurosci Methods 2000; 95:177-84. [PMID: 10752489 DOI: 10.1016/s0165-0270(99)00178-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Manipulating the expression of a protein can provide a powerful tool for understanding its function, provided that the protein is expressed at physiologically-significant concentrations. We have developed a simple method to measure (1) the concentration of an overexpressed protein in single cells and (2) the covariation of particular physiological properties with a protein's expression. As an example of how this method can be used, teratocarcinoma cells were transfected with the neuron-specific calcium binding protein calretinin (CR) tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP). By measuring GFP fluorescence in microcapillaries, we created a standard curve for GFP fluorescence that permitted quantification of CR concentrations in individual cells. Fura-2 measurements in the same cells showed a strong positive correlation between CR-GFP fusion protein expression levels and calcium clearance capacity. This method should allow reliable quantitative analysis of GFP fusion protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- N J Hack
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132, USA
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35
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36
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Kubke MF, Gauger B, Basu L, Wagner H, Carr CE. Development of calretinin immunoreactivity in the brainstem auditory nuclei of the barn owl (Tyto alba). J Comp Neurol 1999; 415:189-203. [PMID: 10545159 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(19991213)415:2<189::aid-cne4>3.0.co;2-e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The early development of calretinin immunoreactivity (CR-IR) was described in the auditory nuclei of the brainstem of the barn owl. CR-IR was first observed in the auditory hindbrain at embryonic day (E17) and a day later (E18) in the inferior colliculus. In each of the auditory nuclei studied, CR-IR did not develop homogeneously, but began in the regions that map high best frequencies in the adult barn owl. In the hindbrain, CR-IR was first observed in the rostromedial regions of the cochlear nucleus magnocellularis and the nucleus laminaris, and in the dorsal regions of the nucleus angularis and in the nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. In the inferior colliculus, CR-IR began in the ventral region of the central core. The edge of these gradients moved along the future tonotopic axes during the development of all nuclei studied, until adult patterns of CR-IR were achieved about a week after hatching.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F Kubke
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
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Doldan MJ, Prego B, de Miguel Villegas E. Immunochemical localization of calretinin in the retina of the turbot (Psetta maxima) during development. J Comp Neurol 1999; 406:425-32. [PMID: 10205020 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(19990419)406:4<425::aid-cne1>3.0.co;2-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The expression of the calcium-binding protein calretinin was analysed by immunohistochemistry techniques in the retina of turbot (Psetta maxima) from embryonic to juvenile stages. Calretinin immunoreactivity was first detected in retinae from newly hatched larvae, in which the anlage of the inner plexiform layer and a subset of amacrine and ganglion cells displayed a faint immunolabelling. First appearance of photoreceptors during larval life coincided with an increase in the intensity of the labelling. During subsequent larval development, the expression of calretinin affected distinctive retinal components. The inner plexiform layer, optic fiber layer, and a population of amacrine and ganglion cells were invariably labelled. Occasional bipolar cells were labelled at the end of the larval period. By metamorphosis, calretinin is sequentially expressed in horizontal cells, and bipolar immunoreactive cells become numerous. The pattern of calretinin immunoreactivity of the inner plexiform layer changes from the larval to juvenile period. In all cases, calretinin immunoreactivity exhibited variations between the peripheral retina, which contains the most recently differentiated retinal components, and the remainder of the differentiated retina. Our results suggest that the progressive expression of calretinin in the turbot retina appears associated with some degree of neuronal differentiation. Once the definitive pattern of calretinin immunoreactivity is established in the turbot retina, both similarities and differences with the calretinin location in the retina of other vertebrates can be demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Doldan
- Department of Functional Biology, University of Vigo, Spain
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Abstract
Neurons in the cochlear ganglion and auditory brain stem nuclei preserve the relative timing of action potentials passed through sequential synaptic levels. To accomplish this task, these neurons have unique morphological and biophysical specializations in axons, dendrites, and nerve terminals. At the membrane level, these adaptations include low-threshold, voltage-gated potassium channels and unusually rapid-acting transmitter-gated channels, which govern how quickly and reliably action potential threshold is reached during a synaptic response. Some nerve terminals are remarkably large and release large amounts of excitatory neurotransmitter. The high output of transmitter at these terminals can lead to synaptic depression, which may itself be regulated by presynaptic transmitter receptors. The way in which these different cellular mechanisms are employed varies in different cell types and circuits and reflects refinements suited to different aspects of acoustic processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- L O Trussell
- Department of Physiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA.
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Abstract
The auditory and electrosensory systems contain circuits that are specialized for the encoding and processing of microsecond time differences. Analysis of these circuits in two specialists, weakly electric fish and barn owls, has uncovered common design principles and illuminated some aspects of their evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Carr
- Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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Code RA, McDaniel AE. Development of dynorphin-like immunoreactive auditory nerve terminals in the chick. BRAIN RESEARCH. DEVELOPMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH 1998; 106:165-72. [PMID: 9554997 DOI: 10.1016/s0165-3806(97)00224-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The novel discovery that auditory nerve terminals in the chick cochlear nucleus magnocellularis (NM) are immunoreactive for the opioid peptide dynorphin (DYN) was recently reported [3]. The present study examines the development of DYN-immunoreactivity (DYN-I) in auditory nerve terminals in NM from embryos through young post-hatch chicks. No DYN-I was observed in NM at embryonic day 13 (E13). DYN-I first appeared at E16 as short flat structures partially surrounding NM cell bodies. Around post-hatch day 1 (P1), these structures had a more rounded, chalice-type of morphology reminiscent of the specialized auditory nerve terminals found in birds, the end-bulbs of Held. At P6, most NM neurons were circumscribed by a prominent DYN-I calyceal-type of ending. By P13, fewer NM cells were ringed by this DYN-I and by the third post-hatch week, there was very little DYN-I in NM. There were no obvious differences in the density of DYN-I terminals across either the rostrocaudal length or the mediolateral width of NM at any age examined. These results suggest that during a restricted time of development, end-bulbs of Held in the chick NM contain DYN.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Code
- Dept. of Biology, Texas Woman's University, Denton 76204-5799, USA.
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