Medicine

TRANSMITTER DEVELOPMENT PHASE IN THE HUMAN EMBRYO NERVOUS GLOSSOPHARYNGEUS.

 

Dossayev T. M., Zholdybayeva A.A.

 

Asfendiyarov S. Kazakh National Medical University

Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty

 

Annotation.  Formation of the transmitter development phase in n. glossopharyngeus was studied at 79 embryos. Heterochronia was ascertained between formation of the neurofibrous component of n. glossopharyngeus and appearance of the basic neurotransmitters - acetylcholines and catecholamines.  The time equal to 2 weeks was revealed between the beginning of acetylcholine and catecholamine synthesis.

Key words: embryo, n. glossopharyngeus, neurotransmitters.

I.          Introduction.

During the formation of the autonomic nervous system, in particular nervous interlacements of various organs, neurotrasmitters  appear in nerve fibers not immediately, but only after dendrites, axons and neuroblasts penetrate organs or typical areas of neuroganglion site.  In connection with this, pretransmitter and transmitter phases are marked out in the development and functioning of the autonomic nervous system [1]. The time of the transition to the transmitter phase of the nervous system development coincides with the beginning of a fetal period and at this particular time the formation of cholino- and adrenoreceptors occurs in the target cells [2].  The beginning of the transmitter phase also concurs with active synaptogenesis and apoptopic elimination of neurons, which didn’t generate functioning interneuronic and neurohistionic synaptic bonds [3, 4].

 

The autonomic nervous system in embryogenesis is developed  in cranial and caudal direction and  the beginning of the transmitters synthesis heterochronically occurs in embryo plexus, starting in chest, then in lumbar and finally in pelvic plexus. For example, basic transmitters begin to define in heart plexus by the week 8-9 of ontogenesis, while in kidneys only by the week 10-11 [5,6].

In conjunction with this, the study of the transmitter phase of different parts of the vegetal nervous system is a key of understanding of the mechanism of its further normal development and of the interneuronic and neurohistionic bonds dynamics [1,2].

II.      Target setting.

The analysis of the literature reveals that at present the formation of the autonomic nervous system development transmitter phase has been studied in detail in several internal organs (heart, kidneys and aorta) but to less degree in embryogenesis of the craniocerebral nerves. In this connection, we set the target to study the dynamic of the transmitter phase start in the human embryo n. glossopharyngeus.

The stude of the fibrocellular components development of human embryos n. glossopharyngeus and formation of the transmitter phase of autonomic nervous system functioning was conducted on serial longitudinal and transverse sections of human embryos.  There were studied 79 human embryos at the age of 4 to 12 weeks. The sections were dyed according to Veigert-Pal, Vizel, impregnated by the silver nitrate according to Bilshovsky-Buke.

To reveal the basic neurotransmitters on the cryostat-made sections the neurohistochemical reaction was conducted on acetylcholinesterase according to Karnovsky-Roots, and on luminescence of catecholamines with sections incubation in glyoxylic acid.

III.   Results.

In the result of the study it was established that n. glossopharyngeus enters into the side of a back cerebral vesicle by 3-5 roots. In all monitored cases, beginning from 6 weeks embryos, n. glossopharyngeus intracerebral bonds with n. facialis and n. vagus were discovered, which corresponds with data, received by the previously classic neurohistological monitoring [7].

In the process of embryogenesis, n. glossopharyngeus caudal ganglion was the first to be formed, which is revealed in a 4 weeks embryo, and a 6 weeks embryo has a well-defined formation of an oval form, which consists of a neoroblasts cluster.

N. glossopharyngeus cranial ganglion was defined for the first time in 7 weeks embryos as a small cluster of neuroblasts and only in 8 weeks embryos it took an oval form typical for a ganglion. At this stage of development among neuroblasts forming cranial ganglion there were separate groups of cells with a growth cone.  But in all monitored cases beginning from 8 weeks and further periods of the development 1-2 additional groups of neuroblasts were found together with cranial ganglion.

Further, as the embryo develops, in most cases the n. glossopharyngeus cranial ganglion conjugated with much bigger (2-3 times) n.vagus cranial ganglion, which is located at the caudal end of n. glossopharyngeus cranial ganglion.

First branches of the n. glossopharyngeus development were discovered in a 7 weeks embryo. From this period on there were revealed 2-5 pharyngeal branches, which were directed to the primordial pharynx wall, and also primordial tympanic nerve and sino-carotid branch. Further on, as these branches grew along the nerve tracts some small groups of undifferentiated neuroblasts were observed. The basic trunk of n. glossopharyngeus went to the primordial tongue root, separating n. lingvalis on its way, along which on the way of nerve fibers small accumulations of neuroblasts were discovered.  As the embryo developed, neuroblasts were differentiated, diffusingly located along nerve fibers and forming ganglions. The quantity of neuroblasts and their accumulations sizes grew and, as a result of it n. glossopharyngeus looked like a cellular- fibrous and ganglionic chorda.

During the neurohistochemical study of sections according to Karnovsky-Roots for choline esterase in 8 weeks embryos single cholinergic neurons were discovered for the first time with an ill-defined reaction on copper sulfide. Such neurons, equal to 8 – 11 in quantity period one section were located in the center and at the periphery of the n. glossopharyngeus caudal ganglion near its fusion site with n. vagus cranial ganglion.  Single choline esterase positive neurons were also discovered along the nerve fibers of growing n. glossopharyngeus branches.

The study of the sections incubated in glyoxylic acid to detect catecholamine revealed of single actively fluorescent neurons (SIF cells) in 10 weeks embryos.  Single SIF neurons were located near accumulation of neuroblasts, forming n. glossopharyngeus and n. vagus caudal and cranial ganglia and also along their branches.

Around the cranial ganglion in all cases there were observed 1 or 2 small paraganglia, which had cells with weak specific fluorescent cytoplasm and non fluorescent nucleus.

Additionally, in most cases of monitoring, along n. glossopharyngeus sinocarotid branch there was a group of neurons which showed weak specific fluorescent of catecholamines.

IV.   Summary.

1)     The n. glossopharyngeus and its basic branches in embryogenesis of a human are being formed during the 2nd month of the pre-natal life in pretransmitter phase of the autonomic nervous system development.

2)     The transmitter phase of the progressive n. glossopharyngeus starts from the week 8 of the pre-natal life with appearance of single cholinergic neurons consisting of the forming caudal ganglion.

3)     Catecholamines were discovered in single neurons only on the week 10 of the pre-natal life.

4)     The appearance of the basic transmitters in n. glossopharyngeus nerve structures concurs with the placentation period.

5)     There is heterochronia between formation of n. glossopharyngeus neuro-fibrous component and beginning of the basic neurotransmitters’ synthesis.

6)     The progressive human embryo n. glossopharyngeus acetylcholine synthesis is 2 weeks ahead of catecholamine synthesis.

 

 

References

1)     Shuklin A. V., Shvalåv V. N. Transmitter development phase of the vegetative nervous system peripheral part //Morphology (St. Petersburg). – 2004.-5.-C.-24-26.

2)     Shvalev V. N., Sosunov A. A., Guski G. Morphological foundations of heart innervation. M., Science, 1992.

3)     Alberts B., Bray D., Lewis J et al. Molecular biology of the cell. Third edition, New York, Kindon. Garland Publishing Inc., 1994.

4)     Cochard P., Goldstein M., and Dlack I. D. Initial development of the noradrenergic phenotype in autonomic neuroblasts of the rat embryo in vivo//Dev. Biol.-1971.-v.-71.-P.-100-114.

5)     Shvalev V. N. New in the conception about the histogenesis of the nerve (nervous, neural) tissue in the internal organs structure and its involutive alterations// Morphology (St. Petersburg).-2006.-2.-C.103.

6)     Shvalev V. N., Shuklin A. V., Tarskyi N. A. and others. Transformation of the nervous heart apparatus in ontogenesis and nitric oxide content// Morphology (St. Petersburg).-2006.-6.-C.-90-91.

7)     Ladutko S. I. Development of the nodular and fibrous components of the glossopharyngeal nerve in human beings and some animals. In the book: Embryogenesis and innervation of the internal organs. Kiev, 1971.-C.-23-31

 

About the authors.

Professor Tasbulat Dossaev (Mr.) Doctor of Medicine, the Head of Anatomy Department, Kazakh National Medical University.

Mail address – Republic of Kazakhstan, 050040, Almaty, Koktem-1, building 13, apt. 12    e-mail:  yssakhar09&yahoo.com

Aisulu Zholdybayeva (Mrs.)

Mail address – Republic of Kazakhstan, 050040, Almaty, Shashkin str. building 15, apt. 3.     e-mail:  Aisulukz&bk.ru