Localization of stomatogastric IV neuron cell bodies in lobster brain

Abstract

The cell bodies of the inferior ventricular nerve (IVN) ‘through-fibers’ of the lobster stomatogastric nervous system were located using cobalt chloride backfills and intracellular recordings. Following backfills of the IVN, two cell bodies in the supraesophageal ganglion (or brain) were stained with cobalt. These cells, each approximately 30 μm in diameter, were located at the base of the IVN, just inside the connective tissue sheath surrounding the brain, and were identifiable on the basis of their close proximity to the IVN. In order to record from the cells, an in vitro preparation was made which included the cell bodies, their axons in the IVN and the stomatogastric nervous system. Intracellular recordings showed that the axons projected to the stomatogastric ganglion and made synaptic connections onto identified neurons. The axon trajectories and synaptic connections correlated with those previously described for the IVN through-fibers using extracellular stimulation and recording techniques.