Location of motoneurons supplying tail muscles in the domestic fowl.

Abstract

The distribution of motoneurons innervating the tail muscles, levator caudae, depressor caudae, pubocaudalis externus, pubocaudalis internus, lateralis caudae and flexor cruris, in the adult domestic fowl was examined by retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase Labeled motoneurons supplying tail muscles were distributed in longitudinal column in the spinal cord below sacral spinal segment 3 and average diameters of cell bodies ranged from 27 to 59 microns. Each motor pool was localized in a characteristic position in the ventral horn.