Ultrastructure of visual callosal neurons in cat identified by retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase

Summary The ultrastructure of neurons at the border of areas 17 and 18 of the visual cortex of the cat was studied by the combined use of the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and electron microscopy. Callosal neurons were retrogradely labelled by injecting HRP at the 17/18 border region of the contralateral hemisphere. They were found mainly in layer III but also in IV and VI. They were most commonly pyramidal cells and less often large, spiny stellate cells. Pyramidal callosal neurons received only symmetrical synapses on their soma and mainly symmetrical (but a few asymmetrical) synapses on their dendritic shafts. Their abundant spines received asymmetrical synapses. The stellate cells were contacted by moderate numbers of symmetrical and asymmetrical axodendritic and axosomatic synapses and also had asymmetrical axospinous contacts. We propose that the callosal stellate neurons consist of a class of large spiny stellates, recognizable by light and electron microscopic criteria.The work described in this paper forms part of a study for a doctoral dissertation in the University of Lausanne by J. P. Hornung.