大鼠前庭核向迷走神经背侧复合体的间接投射

目的：研究大鼠前庭核向迷走神经背侧复合体的间接投射,探索前庭信息向脑干呕吐区传递的神经通路。方法：向前庭神经下核和前庭神经内侧核注入顺行追踪剂菜豆凝集素（PHA-L）,向迷走神经背侧复合体注入逆行追踪剂荧光金（FG）,用免疫荧光组织化学方法显示PHA-L顺行标记纤维和终末,在荧光显微镜下观察顺行标记PHA-L的纤维和终末与FG逆行标记的细胞重叠区域。结果：在延髓外侧巨细胞旁核和腹外侧区有顺行纤维和终末与逆行标记细胞的重叠。结论：前庭核团可能经外侧巨细胞旁核和腹外侧区向迷走神经背侧复合体有间接投射,为进一步揭示前庭核团与呕吐相关的内脏反应区之间的功能关系提供了形态学基础。     

大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质向下丘脑orexin神经元的纤维投射

目的:明确中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)神经元调节下丘脑orexin神经元的解剖学基础。方法:首先采用逆行示踪技术,将霍乱毒素B亚单位(CTb)作为逆行示踪剂注射到下丘脑orexin神经元胞体分布的区域,免疫组织化学方法染色观察PAG内CTb逆行标记细胞的分布特点;接着采用顺行示踪技术和免疫组化相结合的方法,将生物素化葡聚糖胺(BDA)作为顺行示踪剂注射到PAG,观察下丘脑内BDA标记的神经纤维与orexin神经元的重叠分布特点;最后运用免疫电镜技术观察BDA标记轴突终末与orexin神经元之间的突触联系。结果:CTb注射到单侧下丘脑orexin神经元区域后,在PAG观察到大量CTb标记神经元,注射点同侧标记细胞数明显占优,其中PAG外侧区(lPAG)和腹外侧区(vlPAG)可见大量CTb逆标神经元,背外侧区(dlPAG)和背内侧区(dm PAG)可见少量标记神经元;注射点对侧lPAG及vlPAG区域也观察到少量CTb标记神经元。BDA注射到单侧lPAG后,下丘脑内双侧均可观察到BDA标记的神经纤维,但注射点同侧标记神经纤维数量明显占优。BDA标记纤维与orexin神经元胞体在穹窿背侧接近不定带(ZI)的区域(本文中将此区域称作"穹窿上区")形成显著的重叠分布。透射电镜下观察到BDA标记的轴突终末与orexin神经元之间形成突触联系,且多为非对称性类型。结论:lPAG投射到下丘脑的神经纤维在穹窿上区与orexin神经元形成优势重叠分布、并与orexin神经元的胞体或树突形成以非对称性为主的突触联系,提示orexin神经元可能在lPAG的直接支配下发挥其调节觉醒状态、摄食行为等功能。     

大鼠三叉神经本体觉中枢通路上第三级核团内PV样阳性终末与丘脑投射神经元的突触联系

目的 观察大鼠三叉神经本体觉中枢通路上第三级核团内Paralbumin样阳性轴突终末与丘脑投射神经元之间是否存在突触联系。方法 用HRP逆行追踪和包埋前免疫电镜相结合的双重标记法。将WGA-HRP注入丘脑腹后内侧核逆行标记投射神经元。结果 WGA-HRP注入丘脑腹后内侧核(VPM)后，WGA-HRP标记神经元主要分布在感觉主核背内侧部(Vpdm)、三叉上核尾外侧部(Vsup-CL)以及三叉神经运动核腹侧区(AVM)和上橄榄核背侧区(ADO)。电镜下可见PV样阳性神经元的轴突终末与WGA-HRP标记的胞体或者树突形成突触联系。另外PV阴性神经元的轴突终末也与WGA-HRP标记的胞体或树突形成突触联系，这些胞体或树突偶尔为PV阳性。结论 在三叉神经本体感觉信息从第三级神经元向丘脑腹后内侧核(VPM)传递的过程中，PV样阳性神经元可能通过突触传递机制而发挥作用。     

大鼠前庭核向脑干呕吐区的间接投射

前庭信息调节内脏活动的神经通路是产生运动病的结构基础,但至今尚未明了。本研究旨在探讨接受初级前庭传入信息的前庭核到脑干呕吐中枢的神经通路。向大鼠前庭内侧核和前庭下核内注入顺行追踪剂生物素化葡聚糖胺(BDA),向脑干呕吐区注入逆行追踪剂荧光金(FG),用荧光组织化学方法显示BDA顺行标记纤维和终末,在荧光显微镜下观察BDA顺行标记纤维和终末与荧光金逆行标记细胞的重叠区域。结果发现在延髓背侧巨细胞旁核(DPGi)、巨细胞网状核(Gi)和小细胞网状核(PCRt)有顺行标记纤维与逆行标记细胞的重叠。表明前庭核可能经DPGi、Gi和PCRt向呕吐区有间接投射,此结果为进一步揭示前庭信号引发恶心、呕吐的神经机制提供了形态学依据。     

大鼠中脑水管周围灰质各分区向下丘脑orexin阳性神经元分布区的投射及其联系

目的:观察大鼠中脑水管周围灰质(PAG)不同分区神经元发出的投射纤维与下丘脑orexin阳性神经元之间的联系,阐明PAG不同分区神经元支配下丘脑orexin阳性神经元的形态学基础。方法:首先将逆行示踪剂霍乱毒素B(CTb)注射到下丘脑orexin阳性神经元胞体分布区域,免疫组织化学显色观察PAG内CTb逆行标记神经元的分布特点;再将顺行示踪剂生物素化葡聚糖胺(BDA)注射到PAG不同分区,采用免疫组织化学双标记的方法,在下丘脑内观察BDA标记神经纤维及其终末与orexin阳性神经元的重叠分布特点和它们之间的联系。结果:将CTb注射到单侧下丘脑穹窿上区或外侧区后,在注射点同侧PAG的外侧区(lPAG)和腹外侧区(vlPAG)可见大量CTb逆标神经元,背外侧区(dlPAG)及背内侧区(dmPAG)仅见少量标记神经元。注射点对侧PAG区域也可观察到少量CTb标记神经元。将BDA分别注射到单侧dlPAG、lPAG和vlPAG后,在下丘脑双侧均可观察到BDA顺标纤维及其终末,但注射点同侧BDA标记纤维和终末的数量明显多于对侧。源自lPAG和vlPAG的BDA标记纤维及其终末与orexin神经元胞体在穹窿上区形成明确的重叠分布和密切接触,而源自dlPAG的纤维少见与orexin神经元接触。结论:lPAG及vlPAG来源的纤维及其终末与下丘脑内的orexin阳性神经元的分布区域重叠并形成密切接触,可能直接影响orexin神经元的功能。     

丘脑束旁核-纹状体神经元轴突终末的超微结构证实

目的研究丘脑束旁核(PFn)-纹状体神经元轴突终末的分布和超微结构特征,以及与纹状体神经元之间的形态学联系。方法借助于神经示踪剂BDA10K注射方法顺行标记PFn神经元,光镜和电镜下观察和计数阳性纤维在纹状体内的数量和分布形式以及超微结构特征,实验资料借助于SPSS软件统计处理分析和体视学观察。结果①PFn神经元轴突终末在纹状体内呈散在不均匀分布;背侧区显著多于腹侧区(P<0.001),而外侧区与内侧区之间差异无统计学意义(P=0.387)。②光镜高倍镜观察显示大量的BDA阳性纤维与纹状体不同类型神经元(包括NeuN阳性、Darpp-32阳性以及Parv阳性神经元)的胞体和突起在形态学上存在明显的相邻关系。③电镜观察和测量结果显示BDA阳性终末平均直径为(0.648±0.288)μm,同时发现它们与纹状体神经元之间主要形成兴奋性(非对称型)突触连接;阳性轴突终末的65.18%与树突形成兴奋性突触,其直径为(0.651±0.304)μm;剩余的34.82%[平均直径为(0.642±0.257)μm]与树突棘形成兴奋性突触连接。结论丘脑PFn-纹状体神经元轴突终末主要分布于纹状体的背侧区,并与纹状体不同类型的神经元显示相邻关系,电镜超微结构下证实其突触形式主要为轴-树兴奋性突触连接,结果提示丘脑PFn神经元对纹状体不同类型的神经元的影响可能具有选择性和特异性。     

大鼠中缝大核下行投射纤维与三叉神经脊束核尾侧亚核向丘脑投射神经元之间的突触联系

本研究分别用逆行和顺行追踪相结合及逆行追踪与免疫组织化学反应相结合的双标记技术对中缝大核下行投射纤维和５ ＨＴ 样阳性终末在三叉神经脊束核尾侧亚核内的分布及其与向丘脑投射神经元之间的突触联系进行了观察。将ＨＲＰ注入丘脑腹后内侧核,证明ＨＲＰ逆标神经元主要见于三叉神经脊束核尾侧亚核的Ⅰ、Ⅲ层;将顺行标记物ＰＨＡ Ｌ 注入中缝大核,证明ＰＨＡ Ｌ顺标纤维和终末也主要见于尾侧亚核的Ⅰ层,Ⅱ层内仅有少量ＰＨＡ Ｌ 顺标终末;免疫组织化学反应的结果显示５ ＨＴ 样阳性终末也主要存在于尾侧亚核的Ⅰ和Ⅱ层,其它部位仅散在分布。在电镜下观察到：（１）三叉神经脊束核尾侧亚核Ⅰ层的ＨＲＰ逆标神经元的胞体和树突分别与ＰＨＡ Ｌ顺标终末形成轴 体突触和轴 树突触,其中大部分为对称性突触,非对称性突触较少;（２）尾侧亚核Ⅰ层ＨＲＰ逆标神经元的胞体和树突也分别与５ ＨＴ 样阳性终末形成轴 体突触和轴 树突触,这些突触联系也以对称性突触为主。本研究的结果表明：中缝大核的下行投射纤维主要终止于三叉神经脊束核尾侧亚核Ⅰ层,对此层内向丘脑投射的神经元可能主要发挥抑制作用,而５ ＨＴ 是中缝大核下行投射纤维的主要神经活性物质。     

大鼠前庭神经核群向腰髓投射特征——BDA法逆行研究

目的　研究大鼠前庭神经核群向脊髓的投射纤维特征。方法　在 7例SD大鼠采用结合生物素的葡聚糖胺(BDA)逆行法观察大鼠前庭核群向脊髓的投射。结果　除前庭神经上核 (SVN)外的其余各前庭核均有向大鼠腰髓的投射 ,单侧注射的实验动物中 ,前庭神经内侧核 (MVN)、外侧核 (LVN)和降核 (DVN)的标记神经元可见于双侧 ,其中MVN和LVN的标记神经元以注射同侧占优势 ,而DVN标记神经元两侧数量基本一致。结论　大鼠前庭脊髓尾侧束发出纤维投向脊髓腰段     

皮质—脑桥核—小脑通路的HRP结合溃变电镜法研究

目的：观察大鼠脑桥核内皮质纤维终末的溃疡变型及其与脑桥核小脑投射神经元的突触联系方式,方法：采用HRP逆行标记结合溃变电镜技术。结果：（1）皮质纤维终末出现电子致密和微丝增生两种溃变类型。以电子致密型为主。后者终末又有两种不同形态,即含圆形清亮型小泡和多形清亮型小泡者,以圆形清亮型小泡终末占优势。（2）皮质纤维终末与脑桥核小脑投射神经元形成轴－树和少量轴－体突触,部分溃变终末与HRP标记的投射神经元形成单突触联系,结论：皮质纤维与脑桥核小脑投射神经元间存在的单突触联系构成了皮持－脑桥核－小脑通路。     

大鼠三叉神经脊束核尾侧亚核-臂旁核-丘脑间接联系的研究

目的 观察臂旁核（ＰＢＮ）内向丘脑腹后内侧核（ＶＰＭ）投射神经元和三叉神经脊束核尾侧亚核（Ｖｃ向旁核投射纤维和终末的分布,以及两者之间的突触联系。方法 ＨＲＰ逆行追踪与生物素警聚糖胺（ＢＤＡ）顺行追踪相结合的双标技术,标记结果分别在光镜或电镜下观察。结果 将ＨＲＰ注入ＶＰＭ后,在光镜下可见ＨＲＰ逆标神经元主要位于同侧的臂旁外侧核,Ｋｏｌｌｉｋｅｒ－Ｆｕｓｓ（ＫＦ）核和臂旁内侧核。将ＢＤＡ注入Ｖｃ后     

Neuroanatomical and neurochemical organization of projections from the central amygdaloid nucleus to the nucleus retroambiguus via the periaqueductal gray in the rat

The periaqueductal gray (PAG)-nucleus retroambiguus (NRA) pathway has been known to be involved in the control of vocalization and sexual behavior. To know how the amygdaloid complex influences the PAG-NRA pathway, here we first examined the synaptic organization between the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA) fibers and the PAG neurons that project to the NRA by using anterograde and retrograde tract-tracing techniques in the rat. After ipsilateral injections of biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) into the CeA and cholera toxin B subunit (CTb) into the NRA, the prominent overlapping distribution of BDA-labeled axon terminals and CTb-labeled neurons was found ipsilaterally in the lateral/ventrolateral PAG, where some of the BDA-labeled terminals made symmetrical synaptic contacts with somata and dendrites of the CTb-labeled neurons. After CTb injection into the lateral/ventrolateral PAG, CTb-labeled neurons were distributed mainly in the medial division of the CeA. After BDA injection into the lateral/ventrolateral PAG, BDA-labeled fibers were distributed mainly in and around the NRA within the medulla oblongata. Using a combined retrograde tracing and in situ hybridization technique, we further demonstrated that more than half of the CeA neurons labeled with Fluoro-Gold (FG) injected into the lateral/ventrolateral PAG were positive for glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 mRNA and that the vast majority of PAG neurons labeled with FG injected into the NRA expressed vesicular glutamate transporter 2 mRNA. The present results suggest that the glutamatergic PAG-NRA pathway is under the inhibitory influence of the GABAergic CeA neurons.     

Neuroanatomical and neurochemical organization of projections from the central amygdaloid nucleus to the nucleus retroambiguus via the periaqueductal gray in the rat

The periaqueductal gray (PAG)-nucleus retroambiguus (NRA) pathway has been known to be involved in the control of vocalization and sexual behavior. To know how the amygdaloid complex influences the PAG-NRA pathway, here we first examined the synaptic organization between the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA) fibers and the PAG neurons that project to the NRA by using anterograde and retrograde tract-tracing techniques in the rat. After ipsilateral injections of biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) into the CeA and cholera toxin B subunit (CTb) into the NRA, the prominent overlapping distribution of BDA-labeled axon terminals and CTb-labeled neurons was found ipsilaterally in the lateral/ventrolateral PAG, where some of the BDA-labeled terminals made symmetrical synaptic contacts with somata and dendrites of the CTb-labeled neurons. After CTb injection into the lateral/ventrolateral PAG, CTb-labeled neurons were distributed mainly in the medial division of the CeA. After BDA injection into the lateral/ventrolateral PAG, BDA-labeled fibers were distributed mainly in and around the NRA within the medulla oblongata. Using a combined retrograde tracing and in situ hybridization technique, we further demonstrated that more than half of the CeA neurons labeled with Fluoro-Gold (FG) injected into the lateral/ventrolateral PAG were positive for glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 mRNA and that the vast majority of PAG neurons labeled with FG injected into the NRA expressed vesicular glutamate transporter 2 mRNA. The present results suggest that the glutamatergic PAG-NRA pathway is under the inhibitory influence of the GABAergic CeA neurons.     

Organization of the nigro-tecto-bulbar pathway to the parvicellular reticular formation: a light- and electron-microscopic study in the rat

 We examined a nigro-tecto-bulbar pathway to the parvicellular reticular formation (RFp), where many premotor neurons for orofacial motor nuclei are known to be distributed, by using a combined anterograde and retrograde tracing method. After contralateral injections of biotinylated dextranamine (BDA) into the dorsolateral part of the substantia nigra (SNr) and cholera toxin B subunit (CTb) into the RFp, overlapping distributions of BDA-labeled terminals and CTb-labeled neuronal cell bodies were found in the lateralmost part of the superior colliculus (SC) ipsilateral or contralateral to the site of BDA injection or CTb injection, respectively. After contralateral injections of BDA into the SNr and horseradish peroxidase conjugated to wheat germ agglutinin (WGA-HRP) injection into the RFp, ipsilateral labeled axon terminals with BDA were found to make symmetrical synaptic contacts with the somata and dendrites of contralateral labeled neurons with WGA-HRP in the lateralmost part of the SC. Furthermore, we demonstrated that BDA-labeled axon terminals were immunoreactive for GABA, by using the anterograde tracing method combined with immunohistochemistry for GABA. Thus, GABA-like immunoreactive fibers originating from the dorsolateral part of the SNr make monosynaptic contacts with the tectal neurons sending their axons to the RFp. Received: 16 August 1996 / Accepted: 14 March 1997     

Further studies on the fiber connections of the central cervical nucleus in the cat

Summary The course and cerebellar termination of the axons of the cells in the central cervical nucleus (CCN) was studied in five cats after injections of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate (WGA-HRP) into the C1-4 segments involving the CCN. In two cats a hemisection was performed ipsilateral to and above the injections in order to prevent transport of WGA-HRP from cerebellar-projecting neurons in lamina VI, just dorsal to the CCN. Labeled axons were found in the brain stem contralateral to the injections just lateral to the spinal trigeminal tract and the vestibular nuclei, and in the reticular formation. Some fibers terminated in the vestibular nuclei (especially group x), the reticular formation, and the inferior olive. The axons entered the cerebellum via the superior cerebellar peduncle. In the cerebellum mossy fiber terminals were found bilaterally in the deep vermal parts of lobules I–VIII. Only in cases without lesions were terminals found in the paramedian lobule ipsilateral to the injection, suggesting that neurons in lamina VI, but not in the CCN, project to the paramedian lobule. In the brain stem retrogradely labeled neurons (possible afferents to the CCN) were found in the vestibular (lateral, inferior and medial) nuclei, the reticular formation, and the trigeminal (spinal and mesencephalic) nuclei. The cerebellar distribution of mossy fiber terminals suggests that spinocerebellar fibers from lower parts of the spinal cord passing through the injection area do not transport WGA-HRP to their terminals.     

A possible monosynaptic pathway links the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus to thalamostriatal neurons in the hooded rat

The thalamic lateral posterior nucleus (LP) of the hooded rat is regarded as a relay nucleus for the transmission of information from visuomotor-related structures such as the superior colliculus, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) and substantia nigra, pars reticulata, to visual cortical areas as well as the striatum. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationships of the thalamo-striatal projection neurons with the LP afferent fibers derived from the PPT, using injections of the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) and the retrograde tracer cholera toxin-B (CTB) into the PPT and the striatum, respectively. Findings showed that the location of terminals derived from PPT and LP neurons projecting to the striatum overlapped considerably in the ventral portion of the LP. Ultrastructural observations within this overlapped LP region showed that BDA-labeled terminals make synaptic contacts with dendrites of CTB-labeled neurons. The present results thus provide morphological support for the contention that information from the PPT neurons is relayed to the striatum through by the LP.     

The lateral vestibular nucleus of the toadfish Opsanus tau: Ultrastructural and electrophysiological observations with special reference to electrotonic transmission

The lateral vestibular nucleus of the toadfish Opsanus tau was localized by means of axonal iontophoresis of Procion Yellow. The ultrastructure of the lateral vestibular nucleus neurons was then correlated with their electrophysiological properties. The lateral vestibular nucleus consists of neurons of various sizes which are distributed in small clusters over a heavily myelinated neuropil. The perikarya and main dendrites of the large and the small neurons are surrounded by a synaptic bed, which is separated from the neighboring neuropil by a layer of thin astrocytic processes. The synaptic bed contains three main classes of axon terminals, club endings, large and small terminals, the first being quite infrequent. All the large terminals as well as the occasionally observed club endings contain a pure population of rounded synaptic vesicles. In some of the small axon terminals there are also rounded vesicles; however, the majority contain flattened vesicles or a pleomorphic population. These data indicate that the small terminals originate from different afferent sources. The synaptic interfaces of the large boutons and of the club endings bear three types of junctional complexes: attachment plates, gap junctions and active zones. Those showing both gap junctions and active zones were designated as morphologically ‘mixed synapses’. Gap junctions, although in large number, have only been observed at the synaptic interfaces between terminals with rounded vesicles and the perikarya or the dendrite of the lateral vestibular nucleus neurons. Therefore electrotonic coupling would only be possible by way of presynaptic fibers. Some axons observed in the neuropil were found to establish gap junctional complexes with two different dendritec profiles and this observation is in favour of electrotonic coupling by way of presynaptic terminals.Field and intracellular potentials were recorded in the lateral vestibular nucleus. The field potential evoked by stimulation of the vestibular nerve consisted of an early positive-negative wave followed by a slow negativity, and that evoked by spinal cord stimulation was composed of an antidromic potential followed by a slow negative wave. Vestibulo-spinal neurons were identified by their antidromic spikes. In these cells, stimulation of the ipsilateral vestibular nerve evoked an excitatory postsynaptic potential with two components. The short delay of the first component of this excitatory postsynaptic potential and its ability to follow paired stimulation at close intervals without reduction of the second response suggest that it is transmitted electrotonically from primary vestibular afferent fibers. By contrast the latency of the second peak of the vestibular evoked excitatory postsynaptic potential and its sensitivity to high stimulus frequencies are compatible with monosynaptic chemically mediated transmission from primary vestibular afferents. Spinal stimulation evoked graded antidromic depolarizations in vestibulo-spinal neurons. The latency of these potentials was too short to allow for chemical transmission through afferents or recurrent collaterals and suggests electrotonic spread of antidromic activity from neighboring neurons. An important finding is that the graded antidromic depolarizations can initiate spikes; thus coupling between neurons in the lateral vestibular nucleus is sufficiently close that a cell can be excited by activity spread from neighboring cells. Similar graded depolarizations were recorded in identified primary vestibular afferents; their latencies and time course indicate that they were brought about by electrotonic spread of postsynaptic potentials and spikes to the impaled presynaptic fibers; this confirms the morphological evidence that coupling between lateral vestibular nucleus neurons occurs, at least in part, by way of presynaptic vestibular axons. As the spinal stimulus strength was increased, these graded depolarizations became large enough to initiate spikes which presumably propagate to the vestibular receptors. Thus antidromic invasion of the presynaptic terminals may provide negative feedback by preventing their re-excitation at short intervals after a synchronous discharge of an adequate number of postsynaptic cells. Excitatory inputs to the neurons of the lateral vestibular nucleus were identified from the spinal cord and from the contralateral vestibular nerve. Long latency excitatory postsynaptic potentials large enough to excite the cells were recorded following spinal stimulation; the threshold intensity for evoking them was consistently higher than that adequate to generate the graded antidromic depolarizations. Field potentials recorded after stimulation of the contra lateral vestibular nerve consisted of an initial positive negative wave followed by a slow negative wave. the stimulus intensity for evoking these potentials was the same or slightly above the threshold for those evoked in the lateral vestibular nucleus on the stimulated side. Also lateral vestibular nucleus neurons exhibited excitatory postsynaptic potentials large enough to excite the cells following stimulation of the contralateral vestibular nerve. but no inhibitory postsynaptic potentials were detected. This lack of commissural inhibition indicates a qualitative difference between the central organization of these cells in the toadfish and in mammals.The presence of neurons in the lateral vestibular nucleus which send their axons to the labyrinth was confirmed by their heavy staining with Procion Yellow following axonal iontophoresis. In a number of vestibular neurons. abruptly rising spikes were evoked at short latencies after adequate stimulation of the ipsilateral vestibular nerve. Graded stimuli applied to the vestibular nerve evoked graded short latency depolarizations as well as long latency excitatory postsynaptic potentials in these presumed efferent neurons to the labyrinth; the former could indicate electrotonic coupling of the efferent cells or electrotonic transmission from primary afferents, resulting in a short latency feedback loop.From these studies, the synaptic organization of the lateral vestibular nucleus neurons is compared with that of the Mauthner cells of teleosts, and the possibility of a dual mode of transmission, electrical and chemical, by primary vestibular afferents is discussed.     

The thalamic reticular nucleus of the adult rat: experimental anatomical studies

Summary The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) is a sheet-like nucleus partially enclosing the dorsolateral and anterior aspects of the thalamus and traversed by the thalamo-cortical and cortico-thalamic fibre systems. This paper describes the cellular and synaptic organization of the TRN in adult albino rats on the basis of LM and EM studies of normal animals and experimental animals with injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and/or lesions in various parts of the brain. Particular attention was paid to the dorso-caudal part of the TRN, which establishes connections with visual centres.LM-HRP preparations show that the neurons of TRN project only to ipsilateral dorsal thalamus; no labelled cell bodies were found in TRN after injections into the cortex or any part of the brain stem caudal to the thalamus. Small injections into dorsal thalamus result in a small cluster of labelled neurons and an associated patch of terminal label in TRN. The dorso-caudal part of the nucleus projects to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, the ventro-caudal part to the medial geniculate nucleus and a large part of the nucleus anterior to the areas associated with the geniculate nuclei projects to the ventrobasal nucleus. No evidence was found for a widespread distribution of reticulo-thalamic axons and the connections between TRN and the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and between TRN and the ventrobasal nucleus show a fine-grain topographical organization with more rostral and dorsal parts of TRN projecting to more rostral and dorsal parts of the dorsal lateral geniculate and ventrobasal nuclei.The neurons of TRN are variable in size (range of somal diametersc. 10–20 m), shape (cell bodies are most commonly ellipsoidal) and dendritic morphology (bitufted and bipolar arrangements most common), but no basis for subdividing them into more than one class was found with any of the techniques used. The cell body and dendrites are commonly aligned parallel to the surface of TRN and at right angles to the traversing fibre bundles. The dendrites do not branch extensively and are only moderately spinous. Long, hair-like spines corresponding to those described by Scheibel & Scheibel (1966) were not found: nor were dendritic bundles found to be as prominent in EM material as reported by these authors in LM-Golgi material. Plasma membranes of dendrites in small bundles and of contiguous somata were commonly in direct contact over large areas, but gap junctions between them were not seen.The neuropil of TRN is simple with three major axon terminal types.D-type terminals (about 56% of all terminals in visual TRN) have closely packed spherical synaptic vesicles (42 nm diameter);L-type terminals (about 31%) are paler, slightly larger and have less densely packed synaptic vesicles (46 nm diameter); both terminal types make Gray type 1 synaptic contacts on dendritic spines and dendritic shafts and rarely also on cell bodies and axon hillocks.F-type terminals (about 8%) contain flattened synaptic vesicles in a dark matrix and make Gray type 2 contacts with dendrites, cell bodies and axon hillocks. In visual TRN, D-type terminals (but not all) degenerate after ablation of ipsilateral visual cortex and L-type terminals (but not all) degenerate after lesion of ipsilateral dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus; the density of degenerating terminals is higher after cortical than after geniculate lesions. Indirect evidence suggests that F-type terminals may be (or may include) collaterals of reticulo-thalamic projection cells, but no evidence was found for a widespread or dense plexus of such collaterals.After injection of HRP into the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, labelled axon terminals in visual TRN (many clearly L-type) were found in synaptic contact with retrogradely labelled dendrites of reticulo-geniculate projection cells. When HRP injection was combined with ablation of ipsilateral visual cortex, degenerating axon terminals (most of them identifiable as D-type) were also found in synaptic contact with retrogradely-labelled dendrites of reticulo-geniculate projection cells.Thus, neurons of visual TRN in the rat receive monosynaptic, presumptively excitatory input from collaterals of cortico-geniculate and geniculo-cortical axons, and project in a topographically-organized manner to the ipsilateral dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (where they make Gray type 2 GABAergic and presumptively inhibitory synaptic contacts chiefly with the dendrites of geniculo-cortical projection cells). A similar pattern of organization is seen in other parts of the TRN and these data are compatible with the view that the TRN (and the perigeniculate nucleus of the cat thalamus, which is similar in several respects to visual TRN) forms part of a negative feed-back system by which the activity of thalamo-cortical projection neurons is regulated.     

Projections from the lateral vestibular nucleus to the spinal cord in the mouse

The present study investigated the projections from the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVe) to the spinal cord using retrograde and anterograde tracers. Retrogradely labeled neurons were found after fluoro-gold injections into both the cervical and lumbar cord, with a smaller number of labeled neurons seen after lumbar cord injections. Labeled neurons in the LVe were found in clusters at caudal levels of the nucleus, and a small gap separated these clusters from labeled neurons in the spinal vestibular nucleus (SpVe). In the anterograde study, BDA-labeled fiber tracts were found in both the ventral and ventrolateral funiculi on the ipsilateral side. These fibers terminated in laminae 6–9. Some fibers were continuous with boutons in contact with motor neurons in both the medial and lateral motor neuron columns. In the lumbar and sacral segments, some collaterals from the ipsilateral vestibulospinal tracts were found on the contralateral side, and these fibers mainly terminated in laminae 6–8. The present study reveals for the first time the fiber terminations of the lateral vestibular nucleus in the mouse spinal cord and therefore enhances future functional studies of the vestibulospinal system.     

Ultrastructural identification of synaptic terminals from cortical axons and from collateral axons of geniculo-cortical relay cells in the perigeniculate nucleus of the cat

Summary Electron microscopic analysis of sections of the perigeniculate nucleus (PGN) of the cat processed with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) histochemistry after massive injections of this enzyme in the visual cortex showed two types of synaptic terminals labeled with HRP reaction products. One type (RLD terminals) is characterized by round synaptic vesicles, large size, dark mitochondria and asymmetrical synaptic contacts with somata and dendrites. The second type (RSD terminals) is characterized by round synaptic vesicles, small size, dark mitochondria and asymmetrical synaptic contacts with dendrites. The HRP + RSD terminals, which were also found in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), are interpreted as terminals of cortical origin both in the PGN and LGN, since previous studies have identified cortical terminals as being of RSD type in the LGN and in other thalamic nuclei. The HRP + RLD terminals are interpreted as synaptic terminals of collaterals axons of geniculo-cortical relay cells in the PGN labeled by retrograde transport of HRP from the cortex. In addition, in semithin and ultrathin sections somata in the PGN were never found labeled with HRP products indicating the absence of a PGN projection to the visual cortex.