Innervation pattern of the deep extensor abdominal muscle in the crayfish species Astacus astacus

Abstract

The deep extensor abdominal muscle consisting of one medial and two lateral muscle bundles together with the nerve innervating the muscles of crayfish species Astacus astacus, was prepared. Light microscopic investigations of methylene blue stained preparations showed that the nerve innervating the deep extensor abdominal muscle consists of five distinct axons. The five axons were stained separately with lucifer yellow and the innervation pattern of the axons was determined. To confirm the histological results the axons were also stimulated with a suction electrode to elicit excitatory postsynaptic currents on the muscle membrane which were detected using a macro patch electrode. The muscle is innervated by a common excitatory and a common inhibitory axon branching over all three muscle bundles and sending additionally a branch to the L1-bundle of the next posterior segment, and by two axons specific for the two lateral muscle bundles. The axon specific for the innervation of the L1-bundle sends also a branch to the L1-bundle of the next posterior segment. In addition there is one excitatory axon which directly innervates the medial muscle bundle of the next posterior segment branching in most of the cases also to the medial bundle of the segment where it originates.