Organization of motor neurons to a multiply innervated insect muscle

Nine excitatory motor neurons have been identified as innervating the locust metathoracic flexor tibiae. The anatomical organization of the flexor motor neurons within the ganglion was examined with both light and electron microscopy. Flexor motor neurons were physiologically identified prior to intracellular staining with Procion or cobalt. Some of the cobalt-stained neurons were then silver intensified. The reliability of soma location and variability of neurite branching were examined. While the position of a soma could vary within its cluster by up to one radius, the anterior, posterior, and lateral soma clusters bore a consistent relationship to each other. The density of neurite branching varied greatly for any particular flexor. The ultrastructure of the tract containing the flexor neurites revealed the individual neurites to be glial wrapped, while the tract itself was isolated from the neuropil by additional glia. The hypothesis that subsets of the flexor motor neuron pool are recruited for different behaviors is discussed in light of the last two findings.