Morphological analysis of external urethral and external anal sphincter motoneurones of cat. 1994

M Sasaki
Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.

A previous electrophysiological study suggested that there is a common correlation among axonal conduction velocity, input resistance, and size of motoneurones regardless of the muscle type innervated by a motoneurone and that the dendritic arborization is less developed in sphincter than in hindlimb motoneurones. To verify the previous suggestions, cell bodies, axons, and dendrites of external urethral sphincter (EUS) and external anal sphincter (EAS) motoneurones were studied after intracellular labelling with horseradish peroxidase in cats anaesthetised with pentobarbitone. All the cell bodies were located in Onuf's nucleus. The soma diameter (19.7-50.0 microns) was positively correlated with the axonal conduction velocity, and the plots of these two variables were extrapolations from similar plots obtained for hindlimb alpha-motoneurones, supporting the suggestion of the preceding report. Half of motoneurones had recurrent axon collaterals, which terminated within Onuf's nucleus and the ventral border of lamina VIII. The diameter of the cell body with collaterals was significantly larger than that without collaterals. Dendrites extended in five directions: dorsal, medial, lateral, rostral, and caudal. Dorsally directed dendrites of both EUS and EAS motoneurones coursed in lamina VII toward the intermediolateral nucleus, and dendrites of EAS motoneurones further extended toward the intermediomedial nucleus. Long dendrites directed rostrally or caudally within Onuf's nucleus, more prominently in EUS motoneurones. EAS motoneurones had longer end branches and relatively larger number of end branches and summed length and surface area of a dendrite compared with EUS. Among relations, the dendritic surface area and the dendritic volume were tightly correlated with the diameter of the first-order dendrite. The latter relation was almost identical between EUS, EAS, and hindlimb alpha- and gamma-motoneurones. The large values for the dendritic-to-soma surface area ratio (31 in EUS, 50 in EAS) indicated the well-developed dendritic arborization comparable to hindlimb motoneurones. The ratio of sum sigma (daughter diameter)3/2 to the 3/2 power of the parent diameter was 0.99 in EUS and 1.08 in EAS motoneurones, indicating that the 3/2 power constraint at branching points is well satisfied, and Rall's equivalent-cylinder model is applicable to sphincter motoneurones.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009046 Motor Neurons Neurons which activate MUSCLE CELLS. Neurons, Motor,Alpha Motorneurons,Motoneurons,Motor Neurons, Alpha,Neurons, Alpha Motor,Alpha Motor Neuron,Alpha Motor Neurons,Alpha Motorneuron,Motoneuron,Motor Neuron,Motor Neuron, Alpha,Motorneuron, Alpha,Motorneurons, Alpha,Neuron, Alpha Motor,Neuron, Motor
D009431 Neural Conduction The propagation of the NERVE IMPULSE along the nerve away from the site of an excitation stimulus. Nerve Conduction,Conduction, Nerve,Conduction, Neural,Conductions, Nerve,Conductions, Neural,Nerve Conductions,Neural Conductions
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D003712 Dendrites Extensions of the nerve cell body. They are short and branched and receive stimuli from other NEURONS. Dendrite
D005260 Female Females
D006735 Horseradish Peroxidase An enzyme isolated from horseradish which is able to act as an antigen. It is frequently used as a histochemical tracer for light and electron microscopy. Its antigenicity has permitted its use as a combined antigen and marker in experimental immunology. Alpha-Peroxidase,Ferrihorseradish Peroxidase,Horseradish Peroxidase II,Horseradish Peroxidase III,Alpha Peroxidase,II, Horseradish Peroxidase,III, Horseradish Peroxidase,Peroxidase II, Horseradish,Peroxidase III, Horseradish,Peroxidase, Ferrihorseradish,Peroxidase, Horseradish
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001003 Anal Canal The terminal segment of the LARGE INTESTINE, beginning from the ampulla of the RECTUM and ending at the anus. Anal Gland, Human,Anal Sphincter,Anus,Anal Gland,Anal Glands, Human,Detrusor External Sphincter,External Anal Sphincter,Internal Anal Sphincter,Anal Sphincter, External,Anal Sphincter, Internal,Anal Sphincters,Detrusor External Sphincters,External Anal Sphincters,Human Anal Gland,Human Anal Glands,Internal Anal Sphincters,Sphincter, Anal,Sphincter, Detrusor External,Sphincter, External Anal,Sphincter, Internal Anal,Sphincters, Anal
D001369 Axons Nerve fibers that are capable of rapidly conducting impulses away from the neuron cell body. Axon

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