Abstract
The axolotl Mauthner (M) cell receives synapses from the vestibular and lateral line nerves on highly branched regions located ventrally and dorsally, respectively, of its lateral dendrite. One of the pair of M-cells was deprived of all ipsilateral vestibular supply and of some lateral line supply by unilateral ablation of the otic vesicle at stage 34, before nerve outgrowth and M-cell differentiation. Histological reconstruction of such deprived M-cells at stages 42 and 45, following M-cell differentiation, revealed that the deprived dendrite was poorly developed, being thinner and much less ramified than in controls. This effect was specific; no changes were consistently observed in the shape or size of the M-cell body, the medial dendrite, or the axon. Electron microscopic examination of deprived M-cells showed that morphologically normal synapses were present on the lateral dendrite; however, synaptic knobs identifiable as being of vestibular origin were absent. We suggest that patterned growth and branching of the M-lateral dendrite during differentiation is regulated through interactions with afferent axons.
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