Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Differentiation of dorsal root ganglion cells with processes in their synaptic target zone of embryonic mouse spinal cord: a retrograde tracer study

  • Published:
Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

The differentiation of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells with central processes in their synaptic target zones was studied in the developing spinal cord of embryonic mice (C57BL/6J). On embryonic days 12–15 (E12–E15), horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was pressure injected into the intermediate region of developing spinal grey matter and the embryos were cultured in an oxygenated medium to allow retrograde HRP transport to the dorsal root ganglia. Labelled DRG cells were measured and classified into four categories representing successive developmental stages: (1) primitive bipolar cells, (2) early transitional bipolar neurons, (3) late transitional bipolar cells, and (4) pseudounipolar neurons. In the period between E12 and E15, retrogradely labelled DRG cells became larger and less elongated as a population. Furthermore, a quantitative analysis of the cell types labelled on successive embryonic days of injection indicated an increase in the relative morphological maturity of labelled cells. On E12, the labelled cell population consisted solely of primitive bipolar and early transitional bipolar cells whereas the more mature late transitional bipolar and pseudounipolar neurons were predominant at E15, with the change between these two relationships occurring between E14 and E15. The principal finding of this study was that even the less differentiated forms of DRG neurons had axons within their central synaptic target fields during embryonic stages of spinal cord development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams, J. C. (1977) Technical considerations on the use of horseradish peroxidase as a neuronal marker.Neuroscience 2, 141–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andres, K. H. (1961) Untersuchungen über den Feinbau von Spinalganglien.Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und Mikroskopische Anatomie 55, 1–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barron, D. H. (1944) The early development of the sensory and internuncial cells in the spinal cord of the sheep.Journal of Comparative Neurology 81, 193–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cajal, S. R. Y. (1960)Studies on vertebrate neurogenesis (translated by Lloyd Guth). Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Juurlink, B. J. &Federoff, S. (1979) The development of mouse spinal cord in tissue culture: I. Cultures of whole mouse embryos and spinal cord primordia.In Vitro 15, 86–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeper, D. A. (1978) Horseradish peroxidase as a retrogradely transported dendritic marker.Brain Research 140, 15–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lance-Jones, C. &Landmesser, E. (1981) Pathway selection by chick lumbosacral motoneurons during normal development.Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 214, 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, S. N. (1979) The postnatal development of large light and small dark neurons in mouse dorsal root ganglia: a statistical analysis of cell numbers and size.journal of Ncurocytology 8, 275–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, S. N. &Biscoe, T. J. (1979) Development of mouse dorsal root ganglia: an autoradiographic and quantitative study.Journal of Neurocytology 8, 265–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, S. N., Caddy, K. W. T. &Biscoe, T. J. (1974) Development of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons: studies of cell birthday and changes in mean cell diameter.Cell and Tissue Research 153, 399–413.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, A. R. (1976) Sensory ganglia. InThe Peripheral Nerve (edited byEandon, D. N.), pp. 188–278. London: Chapman and Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsuda, S. &Uehara, Y. (1984) Prenatal development of the rat dorsal root ganglion. A scanning electron microscopic study.Cell and Tissue Research 235, 13–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakajima, Y. (1971) Fine structure of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body of the bat with special reference to two types of synaptic endings.Journal of Cell Biology 50, 121–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pannese, E. (1974) The histogenesis of the spinal ganglia.Advances in Anatomy Embryology and Cell Biology, Vol. 47, Fasc. 5, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadeer, T. W. &New, D. A. T. (1981) Culture of mouse embryos during neurulationJournal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology 66, 109–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sims, T. J. &Vaughn, J. E. (1979) The generation of neurons involved in an early reflex pathway of embryonic mouse spinal cord,journal of Comparative Neurology 183, 707–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sims, T. J., Vaughn, J. E. &Wimer, C. C. (1981) Genetically associated similarities and differences in the generation of neurons comprising an early developing reflex pathway in mouse spinal cord.Journal of Ncurocytology 10, 833–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tennyson, V. (1965) Electron microscopic study of the developing neuroblast of the dorsal root ganglion of the rabbit embryo.Journal of Comparative Neurology 124, 267–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn, J. E. (1980) Development of synaptic connections in the spinal cord. InThe Spinal Cord and Its Reaction to Traumatic Injury (edited byWindle, W. F.), pp. 95–123. New York: Marcel Dekker.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn, J. E. &Grieshaber, J. A. (1973) A morphological investigation of an early reflex pathway in developing spinal cord.Journal of Comparative Neurology 148, 177–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn, J. E., Henrikson, C. K., Chernow, C. R., Grieshaber, J. A. &Wimer, C. C. (1975) Genetically-associated variations in the development of reflex movements and synaptic junctions within an early reflex pathway of the mouse spinal cord.Journal of Comparative Neurology 161, 541–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warr, W. B., deOlmos, J. S. &Heimer, L. (1981) Horseradish peroxidase: the basic procedure. InNeuroanatomical Tract-Tracing Methods (edited byHeimer, L. &Robards, M. J.), pp. 207–62. New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wentworth, L. E. (1984) The development of the cervical spinal cord of the mouse embryo: II. A Golgi analysis of sensory, commissural and association cell differentiation.Journal of Comparative Neurology 222, 96–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Windee, W. F. (1940)Physiology of the Fetus. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders.

    Google Scholar 

  • Windee, W. F. &Baxter, R. E. (1936) Development of reflex mechanisms in the spinal cord of albino rat embryos. Correlations between structure and function and comparisons with cat and chick,journal of Comparative Neurology 63, 189–209.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurosciences, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, 91010, Duarte, California, USA

    Robert P. Barber & James E. Vaughn

Authors
  1. Robert P. Barber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. James E. Vaughn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barber, R.P., Vaughn, J.E. Differentiation of dorsal root ganglion cells with processes in their synaptic target zone of embryonic mouse spinal cord: a retrograde tracer study. J Neurocytol 15, 207–218 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01611657

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01611657

Keywords

Search

Navigation