This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The vagal lobe is an enlargement of the dorsal surface of the hindbrain of fishes that have a well-developed sense of taste, particularly in the pharynx. Selected members of the cyprinid family, mostly carps and goldfish, have been studied extensively for vagal lobe organization, but very little is known about the intrinsic organization of the vagal lobe of other related species. During the time covered by this proposal, I would label the pharyngeal afferents of zebrafish with a post-mortem fluorescent neuronal tracer, DiI. Zebrafish are an appealing model because they represent a poorly understood, less developed member of the cyprinid family. Characterizing the organization of the neuronal circuitry within the zebrafish vagal lobe is a necessary first step in comparing simple and complex gustatory systems. I will acquire 15-20 fixed zebrafish specimens from associates of mine who conduct physiological studies on the olfactory system. We will label selected branches of the glossopharyngeal (IX) and vagal (X) nerves with DiI and wait 7-14 days for intracellular diffusion of the label. The brains will be removed and sectioned at 50 ?m to analyze under epifluorescence.
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