By virtue of its known segregated distribution of cell types, their known neurotransmitters and neurophysiologic properties, the cochlear nucleus is an excellent model and provides the opportunity to study the relation between neurotrophins and their receptors along with the functional properties of the adult cochlear nucleus. To investigate the potential role of neurotrophins in the mature cochlear nucleus, we determined the expression of the three major neurotrophin tyrosine kinase receptors (Trk) in the adult rat ventral cochlear nucleus, as revealed by antibodies against the full-Trk proteins. A qualitative and a cartographic analysis showed a widespread distribution of the three Trk receptors throughout the nucleus. Immunostaining was mainly restricted to neurons as shown by the lack of double immunostaining with specific markers for glial cells. However, we observed variability in immunostaining for given receptors. Three classes of cells were distinguished by their specificity for Trk receptors. The first one was a cell population that stained for TrkA or TrkB. This population characterizes the majority of small and small round neurons and fusiform cells. The second group consists of TrkC-immunolabeled cells and comprises the majority of spherical, globular, granule and small multipolar cells. The third group consists of cells that seem to be immunopositive for all three Trk receptors. This group includes in part multipolar, giant and octopus cells. A possible correlation between Trk expression and cell functional properties is suggested: TrkA- and TrkB-immunoreactive cells could include inhibitory neurons while cells stained for TrkC could include excitatory neurons. The abundant and widespread neuronal distribution of signal-transducing forms of TrkA, TrkB and TrkC predicts that their cognate ligands may exert significant effects on a large proportion of neurons within the mature ventral cochlear nucleus.