Microglia Response in the Brainstem Following Lingual Nerve Injury in Rats
Abstract
The separate sensory systems of taste (sweet/sour/salty/bitter) and trigeminal (hot/cold/spicy/menthol) interact in the oral cavity (Omelian, et al., 2016; Sollars, 2005). When taste nerves are injured, changes are observed in lingual nerve (trigeminal system) innervated papillae (Sollars, 2005). When the lingual nerve is injured, there are changes to taste system-innervated taste buds (Omelian, et al., 2016). Injuries to taste and trigeminal nerves both activate microglia in the brainstem (Bartel, 2012; Terayama, et al., 2010). Whether an injury to one system activates microglia in the brainstem area of the other system is unknown. This study investigates if the interaction seen in the periphery is also seen centrally. Rats received lingual transections (LX) or sham surgery at 55 days. Microglia assessment at 12 hr, 2, 5, 8 and 16 days following surgery corresponds with time points when microglia are activated and when changes in the periphery are seen (Bartel, 2012; Sollars, 2005). Initial work has involved sectioning brains on a vibratome and identifying the separate brainstem areas of the taste and trigeminal systems. Following immunohistochemistry, microglia will be counted in the taste and trigeminal brainstem areas and density calculated by dividing total number of microglia by volume. The study is ongoing, but it is expected that microglia will be present in the areas corresponding with the taste nerve and lingual nerve and that the activation of microglia in the taste area will occur at a later time point than in the lingual-innervated area of the brainstem.
Microglia Response in the Brainstem Following Lingual Nerve Injury in Rats
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
The separate sensory systems of taste (sweet/sour/salty/bitter) and trigeminal (hot/cold/spicy/menthol) interact in the oral cavity (Omelian, et al., 2016; Sollars, 2005). When taste nerves are injured, changes are observed in lingual nerve (trigeminal system) innervated papillae (Sollars, 2005). When the lingual nerve is injured, there are changes to taste system-innervated taste buds (Omelian, et al., 2016). Injuries to taste and trigeminal nerves both activate microglia in the brainstem (Bartel, 2012; Terayama, et al., 2010). Whether an injury to one system activates microglia in the brainstem area of the other system is unknown. This study investigates if the interaction seen in the periphery is also seen centrally. Rats received lingual transections (LX) or sham surgery at 55 days. Microglia assessment at 12 hr, 2, 5, 8 and 16 days following surgery corresponds with time points when microglia are activated and when changes in the periphery are seen (Bartel, 2012; Sollars, 2005). Initial work has involved sectioning brains on a vibratome and identifying the separate brainstem areas of the taste and trigeminal systems. Following immunohistochemistry, microglia will be counted in the taste and trigeminal brainstem areas and density calculated by dividing total number of microglia by volume. The study is ongoing, but it is expected that microglia will be present in the areas corresponding with the taste nerve and lingual nerve and that the activation of microglia in the taste area will occur at a later time point than in the lingual-innervated area of the brainstem.