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Development of the vestibular apparatus and central vestibular connections in a wallaby (Macropus eugenni)

dc.contributor.authorMcCluskey, S U
dc.contributor.authorMarotte, Lauren
dc.contributor.authorAshwell, Ken W S
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-10T22:51:07Z
dc.date.issued2008
dc.date.updated2015-12-10T07:23:18Z
dc.description.abstractWe have studied the early development of the vestibular apparatus and its central connections in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) in order to determine whether the vestibular system anatomy is sufficiently mature at birth to assist in climbing to the pouch. Structural development was studied with the aid of hematoxylin and eosin stained sections and immunoreactivity for GAP-43, whereas the development of vestibular system connections was examined by carbocyanine dye tracing. At the time of birth, the otocyst has distinct utricle, saccule and semicircular canals with immature sensory regions receiving innervation by GAP-43 immunoreactive fibers. Vestibular nerve fibers can be traced into the brainstem to the developing vestibular nuclei, which are not yet cytoarchitectonically distinct. The vestibular nuclei do not contribute direct projections to the lower cervical spinal cord at birth; most bulbospinal projections in the newborn appear to be derived bilaterally from the gigantocellular, lateral paragigantocellular reticular and ventral medullary nuclei. A substantial bilateral projection to the vestibular ganglion and apparatus from the region of the gigantocellular and lateral paragigantocellular nuclei was seen at birth, but not in subsequent ages. This is similar to a projection seen in newborn Ameridelphians. By postnatal day (P) 5, the vestibular apparatus had extensive projections to all vestibular nuclei and neurons projecting in the lateral vestibulospinal tract could be identified in the lateral vestibular nucleus. Cytoarchitectonic differentiation of the vestibular nuclei proceeded over the next 3 to 4 weeks with the emergence of discrete parvicellular and magnocellular components of the medial vestibular nucleus by P19. GAP-43 immunoreactivity stayed high in the lateral vestibulospinal tract for several months after birth, suggesting that the development of this tract followed a prolonged timecourse. Our findings indicate that central and peripheral connections of the vestibular ganglion are present at birth, but that there is no direct projection from the vestibular nuclei to the cervical spinal cord until P5. Nevertheless, the possibility remains that an indirect projection between the vestibular nuclei and the medial reticular formation is present at birth and mediates control of the climb.
dc.identifier.issn0006-8977
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/58903
dc.publisherS Karger AG
dc.sourceBrain, Behavior and Evolution
dc.subjectKeywords: carbocyanine; eosin; hematoxylin; neuromodulin; animal behavior; animal experiment; article; controlled study; gigantocellular reticular nucleus; immunoreactivity; inner ear; Macropus eugenii; marsupial; nonhuman; priority journal; sacculus; stereocilium; Marsupial; Metatherian; Saccule; Semicircular canals; Utricle; Vestibulospinal
dc.titleDevelopment of the vestibular apparatus and central vestibular connections in a wallaby (Macropus eugenni)
dc.typeJournal article
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage286
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage271
local.contributor.affiliationMcCluskey, S U, University of New South Wales
local.contributor.affiliationMarotte, Lauren, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationAshwell, Ken W S, University of New South Wales
local.contributor.authoremailrepository.admin@anu.edu.au
local.contributor.authoruidMarotte, Lauren, u7400435
local.description.embargo2037-12-31
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.absfor110906 - Sensory Systems
local.identifier.ariespublicationu9204316xPUB463
local.identifier.citationvolume71
local.identifier.doi10.1159/000127047
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-43749116851
local.identifier.uidSubmittedByu9204316
local.type.statusPublished Version

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