Quantitative distribution of the glycine receptor in the auditory brain stem of the gerbil

Abstract

The concentration and relative distribution of glycine receptors were determined for gerbil brain stem auditory nuclei using 3H-strychnine and quantitative autoradiographic techniques. Significant binding was observed in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus, the dorsal cochlear nucleus, the lateral superior olivary nucleus, and the inferior colliculus. A non-uniform distribution of binding was seen in 3 of these nuclei, such that the greatest concentration of glycine receptors was located in the high-frequency regions. An analysis of neuron soma density suggested that the amount of post-synaptic membrane could partially explain the distribution of receptor.