Evidence for the anatomical origins of hypoglossal afferents in the tongueof the leopard frog, Rana pipiens

In this study, the origins of sensory neurons from the tongue that ascend i n the hypoglossal nerve were identified and described in the leopard frog, Rana pipiens. Previous studies have shown that these afferents are used to coordinate the timing of jaw and tongue muscles, and are important in the m otor control of feeding. These sensory neurons innervate the tongue bilater ally and appear to originate in the dorsal fungiform papillae of the tongue epithelium. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.