6533b873fe1ef96bd12d4f13

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Motoneurons of the stapedius muscle in the guinea pig middle ear: Afferent and efferent transmitters

Sandy Al-butmehRandolf RiemannStefan Reuss

subject

MaleSerotoninStilbamidinesCalcitonin Gene-Related PeptideEfferentGuinea PigsEar MiddleNitric Oxide Synthase Type ISubstance PBiologyNitric OxideEfferent PathwaysStapedius muscleGuinea pigHearingNitrergic NeuronsmedicineAnimalsMolecular BiologyNeuronal transportMotor NeuronsAfferent PathwaysBrain MappingNeurotransmitter AgentsStaining and LabelingGeneral NeuroscienceNeuropeptidesStapediusAnatomyMotor neuronImmunohistochemistryRetrograde tracingFacial nerveStapesRhombencephalonFacial Nervemedicine.anatomical_structurenervous systemMiddle earNeurology (clinical)NeuroscienceDevelopmental Biology

description

The objective of the present study was to identify efferent and afferent transmitters of motoneurons of the stapedius muscle of the middle ear in order to gain more insight into the neuronal regulation of the muscle. To identify motoneurons, we injected the fluorescent neuronal tracer Fluorogold (FG) into the muscle after preparation of the middle ear in adult guinea pigs. Upon terminal uptake and retrograde neuronal transport, we observed FG in neurons located medial and ventral to the nucleus of the facial nerve ipsilateral to the injection site. Immunohistochemical studies of these motoneurons showed that the majority contains calcitonin gene-related peptide. Our data further demonstrate close spatial relationships of motoneurons to structures immunoreactive to either serotonin, substance P or neuronal nitric oxide and reveal that these neurons are under neuropeptidergic and nitrergic influence.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2008-03-18Brain Research
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2008.05.008