Myelination in the chorda tympani of the postnatal rat: A quantitative electron microscope study

Fay Ferrell, Tracy Tsuetaki, Richard A. Chole

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We determined the course of myelination of the chorda tympani in rats aged from 4- to 30-days-old. the interval of the most rapid developmental changes in neurophysiologieal taste responses and behavioral discrimination among chemical stimuli. The overall number of axons in rats aged from 16- to 30-days-old and in mature 120-day-old animals were the same and averaged 1,500. By 30 days, rats had 80% of the total number of myelinated axons observed in adults, but the average thickness of the myelin sheath per neuron and the proportion of the total cross-sectional area that were only about 60% of adult values. Observed increases in myelination closely parallel decreasing response latencies of single chorda tympani fibers to tongue stimulation with salts.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)224-229
Number of pages6
JournalCells Tissues Organs
Volume123
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1985

Keywords

  • Chorda tympani
  • Facial nerve
  • Myelination
  • Rai

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