Wang Jing, Chi Fang-lu, Zhao Hao, Xin Yuan
Department of Otolaryngology, EENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 2011;73(4):229-36. doi: 10.1159/000330038. Epub 2011 Jul 28.
To find morphological evidence of a direct projection from the cochlear nucleus (CN; at the brainstem level) in the auditory system to the peripheral end organs in the vestibular system.
Experiments were conducted on male Wistar rats (n = 24). Two neuronal tracers were used: (1) 5% molecular probe F-8793 was injected into the unilateral peripheral vestibule and used as a retrograde tracer; (2) PHA-L (Invitrogen L-11270) was injected into the unilateral CN and used as an anterograde tracer. All animals were allowed to recover for 7 days after surgery to facilitate sufficient transportation of the tracers. Subsequently, brainstems in the retrograde group and inner ears in the anterograde group were sliced coronally on a freezing microtome and observed under a fluorescence microscope.
After PHA-L injection into the CN, terminal labeling was observed in the peripheral vestibule, especially in the inferior vestibular nerve. The retrograde tracing study showed that the positive cells could be found in the ventral part of the CN.
These results suggest that there is a novel pathway with a consanguineous functional connection between the CN and peripheral vestibule.
寻找听觉系统中脑桥水平的蜗神经核（CN）至前庭系统外周终器的直接投射的形态学证据。
以雄性Wistar大鼠（n = 24）为实验对象。使用两种神经示踪剂：（1）将5%分子探针F - 8793注入单侧外周前庭，用作逆行示踪剂；（2）将PHA - L（Invitrogen L - 11270）注入单侧蜗神经核，用作顺行示踪剂。术后所有动物均恢复7天，以利于示踪剂充分运输。随后，逆行组的脑干和顺行组的内耳在冷冻切片机上进行冠状切片，并在荧光显微镜下观察。
向蜗神经核注射PHA - L后，在外周前庭观察到终末标记，尤其是在下前庭神经中。逆行追踪研究表明，在蜗神经核腹侧可发现阳性细胞。
这些结果提示，蜗神经核与外周前庭之间存在一条具有密切功能联系的新通路。
