Efferent innervation in the goldfish saccule examined by acetylcholinesterase histochemistry

In contrast to the abundance of information available regarding the anatomy and physiology of afferents within the goldfish saccule, the efferent system of this auditory endorgan has been scarcely studied morphologically. In this study, acetylcholinesterase histochemistry with diaminobenzidine enhancement was used to describe the morphology of efferents. Under light microscopy, labeled fibers appeared in the distal portion of the saccular nerve, penetrated the basement membrane and formed a horizontal mesh-like plexus near the base of hair cells. Many vertical branchlets with terminal swellings protruded upward toward hair cells from the plexus. Under electron microscopy, dense extracellular labeling was present around efferent terminals, which often formed clusters on hair cells. Labeling was also present around unmyelinated fibers of passage within the sensory epithelium and the distal saccular nerve. These fibers contained coarse microtubules and small vesicles, and often ran in a bundle with other similar fibers. Based on their position within the epithelium, histochemistry and ultrastructural characteristics, these fibers were concluded to be efferents. These fibers became myelinated and unlabeled in the proximal saccular nerve. These results suggest that acetylcholinesterase can be a marker of entire distal unmyelinated portions of efferent fibers and demonstrated abundant efferent innervation in the goldfish saccule.