Axon reaction in hypoglossal and dorsal motor vagal neurons of adult rat: incorporation of (3H)leucine

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984 · Exp. Neurol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4886(84)90168-7· OSTI ID:6412108

Aldskogius, H; Barron, K D; Regal, R

Pairs of adult rats received (/sup 3/H)leucine 0.25, 1, and 16 h before killing and zero to 164 days after unilateral cervical vagotomy and hypoglossal neurotomy. Grain counts and morphometric measurements were made on axotomized and uninjured neurons in histoautoradiographs of the medullary nuclei. Axotomized hypoglossal neurons, which largely survive the injury, both enlarged and incorporated increased amounts of tritiated leucine at each labeling interval, 3 through 28 days postoperatively. In the vagal dorsal motor nucleus (DMN), axotomized cells, which frequently die after neurotomy, enlarged slightly through 28 days postoperatively, then atrophied; DMN neurons increased amino acid uptake for a shorter period (days 7 through 14) than hypoglossal neurons. Axotomized DMN neurons did not sustain increased protein synthesis as long as their hypoglossal counterparts and seemed to fail to increase synthesis of structural proteins with long half-lives (16-h labeling interval). The frequently necrobiotic response of axotomized DMN neurons may relate to these phenomena. From these and earlier results, the authors conclude that axon reaction appears to differ fundamentally in peripheral and central neurons. This difference may have significance for research on regeneration in the central nervous system.

• Research Organization: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
• OSTI ID: 6412108
• Journal Information: Exp. Neurol.; (United States), Vol. 85:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
LEUCINE
UPTAKE
NERVE CELLS
PHYSIOLOGY
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
BIOLOGICAL REGENERATION
RATS
SURGERY
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VAGUS
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
NERVES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
551001* - Physiological Systems- Tracer Techniques