Zebrafish Anatomical Dictionary

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Structure description: statoacoustic ganglion

by Tanya Whitfield

Name: statoacoustic ganglion

Abbreviation: sag, gVIII

Synonyms: VIIIth nerve ganglion, octaval ganglion

Figures:
neurogenesis sections
timelapse

Description: The sensory ganglion of the ear. Neuroblasts delaminate from the otic epithelium between 22h and 42h, and accumulate beneath the anteroventral floor of the otic vesicle to form the ganglion. The border of the otic epithelium is ill-defined in this region; cell motility is enhanced here, and cells can be observed leaving the epithelium using DIC optics and time-lapse photography. At prim 10 stage (28h) the ganglion is a loose aggregation of cells; by long pec stage (48h) the ganglion is more compact and has shifted medially, extending beneath both anterior and posterior sensory maculae of the ear. By four days of development, the ganglion sits between the ventromedial wall of the ear and the ventral part of the hindbrain. Neurons of the statoacoustic ganglion innervate hair cells of all five sensory patches of the ear; their central processes form the VIIIth (octaval) nerve.

Homologues:

• Human: spiral and vestibular ganglia
• Mouse: spiral and vestibular ganglia
• Chicken: cochleovestibular ganglion
• Frog: statoacoustic ganglion
• Fly: No direct counterpart

Stages:

• First appears at: Neuroblasts begin to delaminate from the otic epithelium at the 26-somite stage (22h).
• Disappears (or changes name) at: Unknown

Parents (forms from): cranial placodal ectoderm (otic placode)

Children:

• Presumptive (thought to give rise to): Unknown
• Anlage (known to give rise to): afferent neurons of the statoacoustic (VIIIth) ganglion, which innervate hair cells of the ear.

Group (member of):

• Anatomical (group member): facial ganglia, organ systems
• Functional (group member): sensory systems

Markers:

• mRNA: None
• Antibodies: None
• Other: None

Publications:

• Primary: None
• Secondary: None

Comments: None