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Ultrastructural studies of the peripheral extensions (dendrites) of type i ganglion cells in the cat
Author(s) -
Goycoolea Marcos V.,
Stypulkowski Paul,
Muchow David C.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-199002001-00002
Subject(s) - ultrastructure , peripheral , ganglion , biology , anatomy , medicine
An ultrastructural study of peripheral extensions (dendrites) of type I ganglion cells in seven healthy adult cats and one cat that underwent bilateral cochlear injection of neomycin was undertaken. Morphologic evidence revealed that the peripheral process (dendrite) consistently has a smaller diameter than the central process. As the dendrite reaches the cell body, there is a constricted segment with a length that ranges from 10 to 30 μm, and a diameter of 0.5 μm. This region is covered by a continuous myelin sheath that does not thin. The central process (axon) does not have a corresponding constriction, and consists of a myelin covered, smoothly tapered segment that extends to the first axonal node of Ranvier. In the deafened cat, some cell bodies of the surviving ganglion cells appeared to have a residual portion of dendrite. These morphologic characteristics might have physiologic implications both in the mechanisms of normal hearing and in cochlear implantation.