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Ultrastructural localization of ChAT-like immunoreactivity in the human vestibular periphery.
- Source :
-
Hearing research [Hear Res] 1998 May; Vol. 119 (1-2), pp. 96-103. - Publication Year :
- 1998
-
Abstract
- Acetylcholine (ACh) has long been considered a neurotransmitter candidate in the efferent vestibular system of mammals. Recently, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the synthesizing enzyme for ACh, was immunocytochemically localized in all five end-organs of the rat vestibule (Kong et al. (1994) Hear. Res. 75, 192-200). However, there is little information in the literature concerning the cholinergic innervation in the vestibular periphery of man. In the present study the ultrastructural localization of the ChAT-like immunoreactivity in the human vestibular periphery was investigated in order to reveal the cholinergic innervation in the human vestibular end-organs. A modified method of pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy was applied. It was found that the ChAT-like immunoreactivity was located in the bouton-type vesiculated nerve terminals in the vestibular neurosensory epithelia of man. These ChAT-like immunostained nerve terminals make synaptic contacts either with afferent chalices surrounding type I vestibular sensory hair cells, or with type II vestibular sensory hair cells. These results show that the ChAT-like immunoreactivity in the human vestibular periphery is confined to the efferent vestibular system. The ChAT-containing efferents innervate both type I hair cells and type II hair cells, making postsynaptic and presynaptic contacts, respectively. This study presents evidence that ACh is a neurotransmitter candidate in the efferent vestibular system of man.
- Subjects :
- Acoustic Maculae ultrastructure
Autopsy
Choline O-Acetyltransferase analysis
Epithelial Cells enzymology
Epithelial Cells ultrastructure
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Microscopy, Immunoelectron
Neurons, Afferent enzymology
Neurons, Afferent ultrastructure
Neurons, Efferent enzymology
Neurons, Efferent ultrastructure
Perfusion
Perilymph
Temporal Bone ultrastructure
Acoustic Maculae innervation
Choline O-Acetyltransferase metabolism
Temporal Bone innervation
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0378-5955
- Volume :
- 119
- Issue :
- 1-2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Hearing research
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 9641322
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-5955(98)00033-1