Biomaterial Database

Innervation of the rat external auditory meatus: a retrograde tracing study. 1994

J Folan-Curran, and K Hickey, and W S Monkhouse

Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University College Dublin, Ireland.

The innervation of the rat external auditory meatus has contributions from several nerves. Fluoro-gold, a retrograde neuronal tracer, was used to determine the relative contributions from neurons in cranial and spinal ganglia, and to distinguish any difference in the sensory and motor innervation between the outer cartilaginous and inner bony portions. The following ganglia were examined: the trigeminal, geniculate, glossopharyngeal, vagal, superior cervical, and dorsal root (C2-C4) ganglia. All selected ganglia demonstrated innervation of the external ear canal, particularly the trigeminal, glossopharyngeal, facial, and vagal ganglia. The geniculate and glossopharyngeal ganglia contributed more innervation to the inner osseous portion than to the outer cartilaginous portion of the external ear canal, and the vagal ganglion contributed relatively equally.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008856	Microscopy, Fluorescence	Microscopy of specimens stained with fluorescent dye (usually fluorescein isothiocyanate) or of naturally fluorescent materials, which emit light when exposed to ultraviolet or blue light. Immunofluorescence microscopy utilizes antibodies that are labeled with fluorescent dye.	Fluorescence Microscopy,Immunofluorescence Microscopy,Microscopy, Immunofluorescence,Fluorescence Microscopies,Immunofluorescence Microscopies,Microscopies, Fluorescence,Microscopies, Immunofluorescence
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
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D011984	Sensory Receptor Cells	Specialized afferent neurons capable of transducing sensory stimuli into NERVE IMPULSES to be transmitted to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Sometimes sensory receptors for external stimuli are called exteroceptors; for internal stimuli are called interoceptors and proprioceptors.	Nerve Endings, Sensory,Neurons, Sensory,Neuroreceptors,Receptors, Neural,Neural Receptors,Receptors, Sensory,Sensory Neurons,Sensory Receptors,Nerve Ending, Sensory,Neural Receptor,Neuron, Sensory,Neuroreceptor,Receptor Cell, Sensory,Receptor Cells, Sensory,Receptor, Neural,Receptor, Sensory,Sensory Nerve Ending,Sensory Nerve Endings,Sensory Neuron,Sensory Receptor,Sensory Receptor Cell
D003391	Cranial Nerves	Twelve pairs of nerves that carry general afferent, visceral afferent, special afferent, somatic efferent, and autonomic efferent fibers.	Cranial Nerve,Nerve, Cranial,Nerves, Cranial
D004431	Ear, External	The outer part of the hearing system of the body. It includes the shell-like EAR AURICLE which collects sound, and the EXTERNAL EAR CANAL, the TYMPANIC MEMBRANE, and the EXTERNAL EAR CARTILAGES.	External Ear,Outer Ear,Ear, Outer,Ears, External,Ears, Outer,External Ears,Outer Ears
D005727	Ganglia, Spinal	Sensory ganglia located on the dorsal spinal roots within the vertebral column. The spinal ganglion cells are pseudounipolar. The single primary branch bifurcates sending a peripheral process to carry sensory information from the periphery and a central branch which relays that information to the spinal cord or brain.	Dorsal Root Ganglia,Spinal Ganglia,Dorsal Root Ganglion,Ganglion, Spinal,Ganglia, Dorsal Root,Ganglion, Dorsal Root,Spinal Ganglion
D005830	Geniculate Ganglion	The sensory ganglion of the facial (7th cranial) nerve. The geniculate ganglion cells send central processes to the brain stem and peripheral processes to the taste buds in the anterior tongue, the soft palate, and the skin of the external auditory meatus and the mastoid process.	Large Superficial Petrosal Nerve,Superficial Petrosal Nerve,External Petrosal Nerve,Geniculate Ganglia,Greater Petrosal Nerve,Greater Superficial Petrosal Nerve,Lesser Petrosal Nerve,Nerve of the Pterygoid Canal,Vidian Nerve,External Petrosal Nerves,Ganglia, Geniculate,Ganglion, Geniculate,Greater Petrosal Nerves,Lesser Petrosal Nerves,Nerve, External Petrosal,Nerve, Greater Petrosal,Nerve, Lesser Petrosal,Nerve, Superficial Petrosal,Nerve, Vidian,Petrosal Nerve, External,Petrosal Nerve, Greater,Petrosal Nerve, Lesser,Petrosal Nerve, Superficial,Superficial Petrosal Nerves
D005930	Glossopharyngeal Nerve	The 9th cranial nerve. The glossopharyngeal nerve is a mixed motor and sensory nerve; it conveys somatic and autonomic efferents as well as general, special, and visceral afferents. Among the connections are motor fibers to the stylopharyngeus muscle, parasympathetic fibers to the parotid glands, general and taste afferents from the posterior third of the tongue, the nasopharynx, and the palate, and afferents from baroreceptors and CHEMORECEPTOR CELLS of the carotid sinus.	Cranial Nerve IX,Ninth Cranial Nerve,Cranial Nerve IXs,Cranial Nerve, Ninth,Cranial Nerves, Ninth,Glossopharyngeal Nerves,Nerve, Glossopharyngeal,Nerve, Ninth Cranial,Nerves, Glossopharyngeal,Nerves, Ninth Cranial,Ninth Cranial Nerves