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Chemical Senses 11: 213-228,
© 1986

research-article

The gustatory zone of the nucleus of the solitary tract in the hamster: light microscopic morphometric studies

Barry J. Davis and Taichang Jang

Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL 35294, USA

Quantitative light microscopic analyses of the location and dimensions, volume, and distributions of the neuronal populations within the portion of the gustatory zone of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) that is innervated by the lingual–chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal nerves are described in the hamster. This gustatory zone is primarily the rostral 0.6 mm of the NST, and contains 1600–2200 neurons which are divided into four morphologically distinct classes. The classes are defined on the bases of projected somal areas, major and minor diameters and invaginated or non-invaginated nuclear profiles. The numbers of neurons representing each class and the volume of the gustatory zone vary throughout the dorsal – ventral extent of the gustatory NST. Seventy four per cent of the neurons in the gustatory NST possess deeply invaginated nuclear profiles. Large neurons having invaginated nuclear profiles and mean projected somal areas of 188 µm2 (13 x 18 µm) account for –49.5% of all neurons in the gustatory NST and are the most common neurons encountered anywhere in the gustatory zone. Large neurons possesing non-invaginated nuclear profiles account for – 11% of the neurons in the gustatory NST. Smaller neurons possessing invaginated or noninvaginated nuclei account for the remaining 39.5% of the neurons. In general, smaller neurons tend to be located more dorsal and caudal than their larger counterparts. Similar classes and distributions of large and small neurons are observed caudal to the gustatory zone, and give the hamster NST a uniform organization and overall appearance. These findings provide elementary anatomical data about a part of the nucleus responsible for receiving and processing gustatory information from lingual taste buds, and suggest that electrophysiological studies of the gustatory NST have sampled a relatively select population of large neurons that are located in the rostral aspect of the gustatory NST.


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Y. K. Cho, C.-S. Li, and D. V. Smith
Gustatory Projections from the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract to the Parabrachial Nuclei in the Hamster
Chem Senses, January 1, 2002; 27(1): 81 - 90.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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