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Myelination of NEB associated vagal afferents in the newborn rat lung
Author(s) -
Qaqish Robert T,
Yeger Herman,
Cutz Ernest
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.621.26
Subject(s) - population , myelin , neuroscience , lung , medicine , biology , central nervous system , anatomy , environmental health
Pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs) are airway chemoreceptors that express a membrane bound oxygen (O 2 ) sensing molecular complex (NADPH oxidase) coupled to an O 2 sensitive K + channel and are innervated by vagal afferents. A gap in the literature exists surrounding the development of myelinated nerves associated with NEBs during the perinatal period. Previous reports have documented NEBs associated with myelinated nerves at day 10 in the rat. Whether myelinated nerves innervating NEBs are observed throughout the NEB population or not has yet to be addressed. We used confocal microscopy with antibodies raised against synaptic vesicle protein (SV2) and myelin basic protein (MBP) to identify NEBs, their vagal afferents and the myelination of their nerve afferents, respectively, in the newborn rat lung. Lungs from newborn rat pups at postnatal day(s) 1 through 21 were studied. Double labeling with SV2 and MBP and analysis by confocal microscopy revealed NEBs negative for MBP prior to day 17 in the rat lung. The relatively large population of NEBs that are present in the perinatal period are not associated with myelinated nerve afferents. The appearance of myelinated nerve fibers in association with NEBs is not a frequent event. NEB numbers and activity is greatest during the prenatal period and decline post‐natally. Our results may support the idea that myelin is not required to support nerve activity originating from NEBs. (Supported by CIHR Grants MOP‐12742 and MPG‐15270)