European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 7 - Number 2
Eur J Anat, 7 (2): 79-83 (2003)

Immunocytochemical distribution of the AMPA receptor subunits GluR2/3 and GluR4 in the cristae ampullares of the hatched chicken

Elezgarai I., Puente N., Azkue J.J., Hermida D., Bilbao A., Diez J., Donate-Oliver F., Flores A., Grandes P.

Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Basque Country University, 699-48080 Bilbao, Spain; Physiology Institute, Autonomic University of Puebla, 406, Puebla, Pue. 72000, Mexico

ABSTRACT A preembedding immunoperoxidase method was used to study the distribution of the GluR2/3 and GluR4 AMPA subunits of the ionotropic glutamate receptors in the peripheral vestibular epithelium of the hatched chicken. At the light microscopic level, a strong immunoreactivity for both subunits was observed around type I hair cells in the cristae ampullares. At ultrastructural level, immunoreaction product was accumulated in calyx-type profiles of vestibular ganglion afferent fibres closely attached to type I hair cells. Occasionally, bouton-type endings supposedly on type II hair cells were immunostained for GluR4. These observations, together with the electrophysiological evidence, suggest that GluR2/3 and GluR4 subunits play a role in the transmission of vestibular sensory information during early development of the chicken.

Keywords: AMPA receptor, glutamate receptor 2, glutamate receptor 3, glutamate receptor 4, peroxidase, receptor subunit, animal tissue, article, chicken, cristae ampullares, development, electron microscopy, electrophysiology, epithelium, ganglion, hair cell, hair cell type I, hair cell type II, histology, immunocytochemistry, microscopy, neurotransmission, newborn, nonhuman, preembedding immunoperoxidase method, sensory nerve, technique, tissue distribution, ultrastructure, vestibular system, vestibular system epithelium, vestibule ganglion

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)