Development of Spiral Ganglion Neurons

这项MRI研究规划补助金为期一年， 内耳神经支配的初步数据。 感官 哺乳动物耳的耳蜗中的受体细胞具有两种 类型，内毛细胞（IHC）和更多的 外毛细胞（OHC） 这些受体细胞受 神经细胞（神经元）的细胞体呈 一种叫做耳螺旋神经节的结构。 成年动物 有两种类型的螺旋神经节细胞，基于它们的 与一种或另一种类型的毛细胞接触，直径 它们的纤维，以及它们细胞体的大小和形状。 它 仍然令人困惑的是，OHC，约占所有 毛细胞接受不到十分之一的 所有的神经节细胞 目前尚不清楚神经元是如何发育成这两类的。 在新生动物中，一些研究表明这些细胞是 在形态上不同于成年神经元， 最初是一个单一的群体。 这项规划补助金是一个 初步步骤，以澄清解剖和超 螺旋神经节神经元的结构，接触外毛细胞， 新生啮齿动物 光学显微镜和电子显微镜 将与染料填充技术结合使用， 单细胞和特异性抗体染色。 分析 这些数据将为以后的全面建议提供基础， 来研究这些神经元的发育。 这个项目是对一组细胞的重要了解 听觉的机制。 这些数据将提供所需的基线 以便筹备一个关于发展的全面研究项目， 这些细胞。

This MRI Research Planning Grant is for one year to obtain pilot data on innervation f the inner ear. The sensory receptor cells in the cochlea of the mammalian ear are of two types, the inner hair cells (IHC) and the far more numerous outer hair cells (OHC). These receptor cells are innervated by nerve cells (neurons) that have their cell bodies in a structure called the spiral ganglion of the ear. Adult animals have two types of spiral ganglion cells, based on their contacts with one or the other type of hair cells, the diameter of their fibers, and size and shape of their cell bodies. It remains puzzling that the OHC, representing roughly 3/4 of all the hair cells, receive contacts from fewer than one-tenth of all the ganglion cells. It is not clear how the neurons develop into these two classes. In newborn animals, some studies suggest that these cells are morphologically different from the adult neurons, and are initially a homogeneous population. This planning grant is a preliminary step toward clarifying the anatomy and ultra- structure of the spiral ganglion neurons that contact OHCs in newborn rodents. Both light microscopy and electron microscopy will be used, in conjunction with dye-filling techniques for single cells, and specific antibody staining. The analysis of these data will provide a basis for a later full proposal to pursue the development of these neurons. This project is on a group of cells important in understanding mechanisms of hearing. The data will provide a needed baseline to allow preparation of a full research project on development of these cells.