Regional difference in corticotropin-releasing factor immunoreactivity in mossy fiber terminals innervating calretinin-immunoreactive unipolar brush cells in vestibulocerebellum of rolling mouse Nagoya

Brain Res. 2005 Nov 23;1063(1):96-101. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2005.09.018. Epub 2005 Oct 27.

Abstract

Unipolar brush cells (UBCs), a class of interneurons in the vestibulocerebellum, play roles in amplifying excitatory inputs from vestibulocerebellar mossy fibers. This study aimed to clarify whether corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-positive mossy fiber innervation of calretinin (CR)-positive UBCs was altered in rolling mouse Nagoya (RMN). The distribution and the number of CR-positive UBCs in the vestibulocerebellum were not different between RMN and control mice. Double immunofluorescence revealed that some CRF-positive mossy fiber terminals were in close apposition to CR-positive UBCs. In the lobule X of vermis, such mossy fiber terminals were about 5-fold greater in number in RMN than in controls. In contrast, the number of CRF-positive mossy fiber terminals adjoining CR-positive UBCs in the flocculus was not significantly different between RMN and controls. The results suggest increased number of CRF-positive mossy fiber terminals innervating CR-positive UBCs in the lobule X but not in the flocculus of RMN. CRF may alter CR-positive UBC-mediated excitatory pathways in the lobule X of RMN and may disturb functions of the lobule X such as cerebellar adaptation for linear motion of the head.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calbindin 2
  • Cerebellar Ataxia / genetics
  • Cerebellar Ataxia / metabolism*
  • Cerebellar Cortex / cytology
  • Cerebellar Cortex / metabolism*
  • Cerebellar Nuclei / cytology
  • Cerebellar Nuclei / metabolism
  • Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / metabolism*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Interneurons / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Neurologic Mutants
  • Nerve Fibers / metabolism*
  • Neural Pathways / metabolism*
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calb2 protein, mouse
  • Calbindin 2
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G
  • Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone