Journal of Dental Research, Vol 71, 1468-1472, Copyright © 1992 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Axon populations in cat lingual and chorda tympani nerves
G. R. Holland and P. P. Robinson
Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
The lingual and chorda tympani nerves from five cats were examined so that
normal axonal populations could be determined. After perfusion fixation,
the chorda tympani and lingual nerves were removed and processed, and
sections were taken from individual and combined nerves for both light and
electron microscopy. The chorda tympani remained as a distinct group of
smaller axons for at least 4 mm distal to its junction with the lingual
nerve. The mean number +/- S.D. of myelinated axons in the chorda tympani
central to the junction was 1322 (+/- 268) and in the lingual nerve central
to the junction, 3227 (+/- 510). The counts were not significantly
different distal to the junction, and there were no side-to-side
differences. Mean myelinated axon circumferences were significantly smaller
in the chorda tympani (12.86 +/- 0.87) than in the lingual nerve (22.79 +/-
1.99; p less than 0.01). The mean size of axons in the chorda tympani was
slightly but consistently larger on the left (13.1 +/- 0.73) than on the
right side (12.61 +/- 1.01; p less than 0.05). Distal to the junction, the
average proportion of non-myelinated axons was 44% in both chorda tympani
and lingual nerves.
