Santana, Melquisedec Abiaré Dantas deLustosa, Milena Soares2025-01-302025-01-302025-01-17LUSTOSA, Milena Soares. Organização morfométrica e regiões de alcance do CTB no núcleo oculomotor em Artibeus planirostris. Orientador: Melquisedec Abiaré Dantas de Santana. 2025. 41 f. Monografia (Graduação em Ciências Biológicas) – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 2025.https://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/62308Bats are animals with unique sensory characteristics that enable them to explore nocturnal environments, a result of morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations. Among frugivorous species, such as Artibeus planirostris, visual acuity stands out as it aids in efficient food foraging. In this context, the oculomotor nerve nucleus (nIII) plays a key role in innervating the extraocular muscles, controlling the superior rectus (SR), inferior rectus (IR), medial rectus (MR), and inferior oblique (IO) muscles, which are essential for precise eye movements. This study aimed to describe the cytoarchitecture of the nIII and analyze CTB (cholera toxin subunit B) labeling in A. planirostris. Intraocular injections of CTB were performed (SISBIO: No. 25233-2; CEUA: 009/2012), enabling the retrograde transport of CTB to the nIII. Coronal brain sections were analyzed using Nissl staining and immunohistochemistry for CTB. Three subdivisions were identified in the nIII cytoarchitecture: ventromedial (VM), dorsomedial (DM), and lateral (LT). CTB revealed unilateral labeling in mid and caudal sections, and bilateral labeling in rostral sections, with greater homogeneity of cells in the subdivisions at caudal levels. These subdivisions showed equivalence to those observed in birds and rodents, suggesting a functional organization that enables refined eye movements essential for activities such as foraging.The study also revealed novel data on the nIII in bats, addressing gaps in the understanding of the anatomy and physiology of this nucleus in these animals. The results reinforce the importance of the nIII in the ecology of bats by enabling complex visual behaviors. Therefore, this work expands the knowledge of the nervous system of A. planirostris, establishing a foundation for future investigations into the visual system of bats and related groups.Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Brazilhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/br/Musculatura extraocularMarcação retrógradaQuirópterosCitoarquiteturaExtraocular musculatureRetrograde labelingChiropteransCytoarchitecturebachelorThesisCNPQ::CIENCIAS BIOLOGICAS::MORFOLOGIA::ANATOMIA