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Mystacial vibrissae representation within the trigeminal sensory nuclei of the cat
Author(s) -
Nomura Sakashi,
Itoh Kazuo,
Sugimoto Tetsuo,
Yasui Yukihiko,
Kamiya Hiroto,
Mizuno Noboru
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.902530110
Subject(s) - anatomy , spinal trigeminal nucleus , trigeminal ganglion , sensory system , biology , axon , horseradish peroxidase , spinal cord , trigeminal nerve , afferent , nucleus , neuroscience , nociception , biochemistry , receptor , enzyme
Somatotopic arrangements of axon terminals of primary afferent fibers innervating follicles of the mystacial vibrissae were examined in the cat by the transganglionic horseradish peroxidase (HRP) method. Forty to 60 hours after injecting HRP into a single or a group of vibrissal follicles, transported HRP was visualized by the tetramethylbenzidine technique. HRP‐labeled axon terminals were distributed in the ventral subnucleus of the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus (ventral Vp), in the oral and interpolar spinal trigeminal nuclei (Vo and Vi), and in the caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus (Vc) (layer I, deep part of layer II, layers III–V) with its spinal extension into the dorsal horn of the first cervical cord segment (rostral C 1 ). In cross sections through the caudal parts of the ventral Vp, Vi, and layer IV of the Vc and rostral C 1 , a single mystacial vibrissa was represented in a one‐to‐one fashion by a patch of dense terminal arbors of primary afferent fibers. The more dorsally a horizontal row of the mystacial vibrissae was located, the more ventrally was it represented in the ventral Vp, the more ventrolaterally in the Vi, and the more ventrally in layer IV of the Vc and the rostral C 1 . In addition, the more anteriorly a vibrissa was located in a horizontal row of the mystacial vibrissae, the more medially was it represented in the ventral Vp, the more ventromedially in the Vi, and the more laterally in layer IV of the Vc and rostral C 1 ; the most posteriorly located vibrissae in the horizontal rows of the mystacial vibrissae were represented along the lateral border of the ventral Vp and Vi, and most medially in layer IV of the Vc and rostral C 1 . Thus, the representation pattern in the ventral Vp was rotated clockwise at about 45° angle in the Vi, and projected as a mirror image in layer IV of the Vc and rostral C 1 . It was also indicated that the anterior‐posterior arrangement of the mystacial vibrissae was represented in a rostral‐caudal organization within layer IV of the Vc and rostral C 1 . It was also indicated that the anterior‐posterior arrangement of the mystacial vibrissae was represented in a rostral‐caudal organization within layer IV of the Vc and rostral C 1 . Patchy patterns probably replicating the distribution of the vibrissae on the face of the cat were also revealed by the cytochrome oxidase histochemical staining in cross sections through the caudal parts of the ventral Vp, Vi, and layer IV of the Vc and rostral C 1 .