Ohno K, Takeda N, Kiyama H, Kato H, Fujita S, Matsunaga T, Tohyama M
Department of Otolaryngology, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 1993 Jun;18(4):343-6. doi: 10.1016/0169-328x(93)90100-4.
The topography and fine structure of cholinergic efferent fibers were examined in the rat vestibular labyrinth using choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunohistochemistry. Fiber plexus of cholinergic fibers were observed beneath the sensory cell layer in all vestibular end-organs. Electron microscopic examination revealed that cholinergic fibers make synaptic contacts with chalices of vestibular nerve branches that surround type I hair cells. In situ hybridization histochemistry of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit mRNAs showed that rat vestibular ganglion cells express both alpha 4 and beta 2 subunit mRNAs. These findings suggest that cholinergic efferents modulate vestibular information from type I hair cells by nicotinic receptors at the level of nerve chalices.
利用胆碱乙酰转移酶（ChAT）免疫组织化学方法，对大鼠前庭迷路中胆碱能传出纤维的局部解剖结构和精细结构进行了研究。在所有前庭终器的感觉细胞层下方均观察到胆碱能纤维的纤维丛。电子显微镜检查显示，胆碱能纤维与围绕I型毛细胞的前庭神经分支的杯状体形成突触联系。烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体亚基mRNA的原位杂交组织化学表明，大鼠前庭神经节细胞同时表达α4和β2亚基mRNA。这些发现提示，胆碱能传出纤维在前庭神经杯状体水平通过烟碱型受体调节来自I型毛细胞的前庭信息。
