Morphology of HRP-labelled cochlear nerve axons in the dorsal cochlear nucleus of the developing hamster

摘要: To study the development of central terminal arbors cochlear nerve fibers in dorsal nucleus, horseradish peroxidase-labelled axons young and adult hamsters were analyzed morphometrically. Brainstem slices with whole nuclei maintained a slice chamber root was injected mixture wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase, peroxidase poly-L-ornithine. The poly-L-ornithine added to keep injection site small; small injections resulted only few being labelled permitted reconstruction individual fibers. Axons underwent an initial period ingrowth that completed prior onset hearing (postnatal day 16). After this time morphology area influence remained unchanged but nucleus continued increase size. Since no additional grow into during nuclear growth, existing necessarily become more widely spaced as proceeds. These anatomical changes may contribute progressive narrowing auditory cell tuning curves.