bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Visuotopic organization of the lateral suprasylvian area and of an adjacent area of the ectosylvian gyrus of cat cortex: A physioligical and connectional study
Authors: Grant Simon , Shipp Stewart 
Published: June 2009

AbstractWe have explored the visuotopic organization of the territory surrounding the middle suprasylvian sulcus (MSS) of cat cerebral cortex by electrophysiological mapping, and by tracing the topography of its cortical and subcortical connections using wheatgerm-agglutinin horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP). Observations from the two approaches were concordant, and confirmed the presence of two separate visual areas in the MSS that approximate, but do not exactly correspond, to the location and internal organization of the posterior medial and posterior lateral lateral suprasylvian (PMLS, PLLS) areas of Palmer et al. (1978).We define as part of the lateral suprasylvian (LS) area the territory on the medial bank and caudal end of the lateral bank of the MSS that receives a topographically organized projection from the region of area 17 representing the lower visual quadrant. This territory is connected with other structures that are themselves striate-recipient (cortical areas 18 and 19, and the lateral division of the lateral posterior (LPI) nucleus), and with a variety of nuclei that receive direct retinal input, such as the C-laminae of the LGd, the medial interlaminar nucleus (MIN), and the superficial layers of the superior colliculus (SC). Its connections with the LP1, LGd, MIN, and SC correspond topographically with the input from area 17. Revised maps of area LS were produced from the physiological and connectional data: its rostral border is formed by a representation of lower visual elevations with the horizontal meridian represented caudally, and its lateral border is formed by the vertical meridian; area LS shares a representation of the center of gaze with the visual area of the lateral bank at its caudal end.The adjacent lateral bank area has larger receptive fields than area LS, and very different connectivity. It receives no input from area 17 and little input from striate-recipient structures, including area LS, but instead is connected to more remote extrastriate visual areas, such as the anterior ectosylvian visual (AEV) area in insular cortex, and to zones of the thalamus in receipt of tectal input (LPm and the lateromedial-suprageniculate nuclear complex). According to both mapping approaches, the lateral bank area contains representations of both the upper and lower visual quadrants but a rather limited degree of visuotopic order. We refer to it as the posterior ectosylvian visual (PEV) area, because it appears to be functionally and connectionally dissociated from area LS, but is possibly a functional antecedent of area AEV.
Organization and development of horizontal cells in the goldfish retina, I: The use of monoclonal antibody AT101
Authors: Peng You-Wel , lam Dominic Man-Kit 
Published: June 2009

AbstractWe have produced and characterized a monoclonal antibody, AT101, which selectively labels both viable and formaldehyde-fixed horizontal cell axon terminals, but not their somas or axons, of the goldfish (Carassius auratus) retina. The antigen recognized by AT101 appears to be a cell surface glycoprotein with a molecular weight of about 35,000 Daltons, and is present exclusively or predominantly in nervous tissues of all vertebrate species examined. We have used AT101 as a probe to analyze immunocytochemically the organization of horizontal cell axon terminals (HCATs) in the adult goldfish retina, and the emergence and maturation of these terminals during retinal development. Because of continued growth at the retinal margin in adult goldfish, there is a peripheral-to-central gradient in the age of cells, with the most mature in the center and the youngest in the periphery. In the center and near periphery of the adult retina, HCATs have a fusiform morphology and form a dense network in the middle and proximal part of the inner nuclear layer. In the far peripheral retina, the axon terminals appear round or ellipsoid. The retina closest to the retinal margin is devoid of AT101 staining, indicating that either HCATs are absent or the antigen recognized by AT101 is not present on HCATs at this stage. A similar sequence of changes in staining pattern is seen during development. Although AT101 staining can first be demonstrated in the larval retina at 1 month after hatching, it appears mostly as punctate structures. At a later stage, there are round or ellipsoid structures that resemble in morphology and location (in the inner nuclear layer) those found in the far peripheral adult retina. Double-labeling experiments with AT101 and antiserum against tubulin also indicate that AT101 labels the HCATs when they first appear during development. These data suggest that the emergence and maturation of HCAT is a late event in retinal development.
Parvalbumin immunoreactivity of the lateral geniculate nucleus in adult rhesus monkeys after monocular eye enucleation
Authors: Tigges Margarete , Tigges Johannes 
Published: June 2009

AbstractImmunocytochemical methods with antiserum to the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin (PV) were used to examine the effects of monocular enucleation on parvalbuminergic neurons and processes in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of adult rhesus monkeys. In the LGN of normal monkeys, numerous PV-positive neurons, including the largest neurons in the nucleus, and many PV-positive processes occur in all six laminae. After monocular enucleation, PV immunoreactivity is reduced in the neuropil of the denervated laminae compared to adjacent nondenervated and to normal laminae. PV immunoreactivity of somata in denervated laminae, however, appears to be indistinguishable from that of somata in nondenervated laminae, although neurons in the denervated laminae are smaller in size. Since LGN neurons in denervated laminae have lost their visual input, the functional role of PV in this nucleus may not relate directly to visual information processing.
A topographic study of oscillatory potentials in man
Authors: Wu Shuang , Sutter Erich E. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of slow multifocal m-sequence stimulation in analyzing the topographic distribution and underlying mechanisms (including nonlinearities) of the retinal oscillatory potentials (OPs). In giving us access to the response topography and the nonlinear characteristics of the OP,, the m-sequence technique provides us with two important means for the identification and characterization of the signal sources. In this study, we analyzed the OPs into the first- and second-order components and investigated their topographies and luminance dependence. The distribution of both the first- and second-order OP components differed significantly from that of the nicker ERG investigated by Sutter and Tran (1992). At eccentricities and luminance levels favoring activity by both rods and cones, the second-order OPs were particularly prominent showing the most clear-defined and complex waveform The topographic distribution of the second-order OPs showed combined features of both rod and cone distributions On a strong rod-bleaching background the second-order OPs were eliminated and the first-order OPs showed a reduced amplitude and a shifted latency These results are consistent with the notion that the second-order component of the OPs is dominated by contributions from rod-cone interactions.
Displaced starburst amacrine cells of the rabbit retina contain the 67-kDa isoform, but not the 65-kDa isoform, of glutamate decarboxylase
Authors: Brandon Christopher , Criswell Mark H. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe cholinergic identity of retinal starburst amacrine neurons is well established, but recent evidence suggests that these cells are GABAergic as well. Confirmation of this dual transmitter function requires the demonstration of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), the biosynthetic enzyme for GABA, within starburst cells. The current work was undertaken to determine whether rabbit retinal starburst amacrine neurons contain either of the two known isoforms of GAD. To do this, we have examined the localization of the following: (1) the 65-kDa isoform of GAD; (2) the 67-kDa isoform of GAD; (3) choline acetyltransferase; and (4) the fluorescent dye DAPI, a marker for cholinergic amacrine cells. In addition, we labeled displaced starburst neurons directly, by injecting them with Lucifer Yellow in vitro. Four strata within the inner plexiform layer contained immunoreactive GAD65. A non-GAD65-immunoreactive zone separated the two innermost strata (G3 and G4); this zone contained (1) the dendrites of individual Lucifer Yellow-injected, displaced starburst amacrine cells; (2) dendrites immunoreactive for choline acetyltransferase; and (3) processes of DAPI-labeled amacrine cells. Immunoreactive GAD67 appeared in the same strata that contained GAD65, and in at least two additional strata, one of which lay at precisely the same depth as the proximal cholinergic stratum. In addition, the somas of displaced starburst cells were strongly immunoreactive for GAD67, but not for GAD65. These results demonstrate (1) that displaced starburst amacrine cells contain the 67-kDa isoform of GAD, but not the 65-kDa isoform; and (2) that the dendrites of starburst (67-kDa GAD) amacrines, and the dendrites of 65-kDa-GAD-containing amacrines, occupy different strata within the inner plexiform layer. Thus, displaced starburst cells do contain GAD, and can, presumably, manufacture GABA. The reasons for their preferential use of the 67-kDa GAD isoform remain to be elucidated.
Phototransduction: Modeling the primate cone flash response
Authors: Hamer Russell D. , Tyler Christopher W. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractWe have developed a new model of phototransduction that accounts for the dynamics of primate and human cone flash responses in both their linear and saturating range. The model incorporates many of the known elements of the phototransduction cascade in vertebrate photoreceptors. The input stage is a new analytic expression for the activation and inactivation of cGMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE). Although the Lamb and Pugh (1992) model (of a delayed ramp for the rising phase of the PDE* response in amphibian rods) provided a good fit for the first 2 log units of stimulus intensity without parameter adjustments, the remaining 4 log units of the data required nonlinear modifications of both delay and gain (slope). We show that this nonlinear behavior is a consequence of the delay approximation and develop a completely linear model to account for the rising phase of amphibian rod photocurrent responses over the full intensity range (~6 log units). We use the same dynamic model to account for primate cone responses by decreasing the time constants of PDE activation and introducing an enhanced inactivation process. This PDE* response activates a nonlinear calcium feedback stage that modulates guanylate cyclase synthesis of cyclic GMP. By adjustment of the throughput and feedback parameters, the full model successfully captures most of the features of the primate and human cone flash responses throughout their dynamic range. Our analysis suggests that initial processes in the transduction cascade may be qualitatively different from comparable processes in rods.
Immunocytochemical evidence for an axonal localization of GABA in the optic nerves of rabbits, rats, and cats
Authors: Rogers P. C. , Pow D. V. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractWe have examined, by light-microscopic immunocytochemistry, the distribution of GABA in the optic nerves of adult rabbits, rats, and cats. Within the optic nerves, immunoreactivity for GABA was restricted to a small subset of axons; some axons were strongly labelled, others weakly labelled, whilst most axons were unlabelled. Glia and other non-neuronal elements were always unlabelled. Our ability to detect GABA in optic nerve axons of adult mammals contrasts with previous reports that indicate a lack of GABA immunoreactivity in such axons. We suggest that this discrepancy may be due to the sensitivity of our immunocytochemical techniques which enable us to detect low concentrations of GABA.
Regional topography of rod and immunocytochemically characterized “blue” and “green” cone photoreceptors in rabbit retina
Authors: Famiglietti E. V. , Sharpe S. J. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractEvidence from several sources indicates that the photoreceptors of rabbit retina include rods, green cones and blue cones, and that blue-green color opponency occurs in select retinal ganglion cells. One of us (Famiglietti) has identified wide-field cone bipolar cells as probable blue-cone-selective bipolars, and type C horizontal cells as possibly connected to blue cones. We wished to extend the analysis of blue cone pathways in rabbit retina and to characterize the topographic distribution of blue and green cones. Two monoclonal antibodies raised against chicken visual pigments are reported to label medium- and long-wavelength cones (COS-1) and short-wavelength cones (OS-2) in all mammalian retinas studied thus far (Szél and colleagues). Using selective labeling with these two antibodies and a nonselective method in nasal and temporal halves of the same retinas, we have found that densities of photoreceptors vary systematically, depending upon the size of the eye and age of the animal. In ‘standard’ New Zealand rabbits of 2–3 kg (2–3 months old), rods reached a peak density of about 300,000/mm2 just dorsal to the visual streak, while cones exhibit peak density at mid-visual streak of about 18,000/mm2. Published measurements of visual acuity in rabbit are less than predicted by this calculation. The ratio of cones to rods is significantly higher in ventral retina, where the density of cones declines to a plateau of 10,000–12,000/mm2, when compared to dorsal retina, where cones are uniformly distributed at a density of about 7000/mm2. The density of OS-2 labeled (presumably “blue”) cones is uniformly low, 1000–1500/mm2, in a wide expanse that includes dorsal retina, the visual streak, and much of ventral retina, except for a region of higher density along the vertical midline. We confirm that there is a far ventral horizontal region near the perimeter that is populated exclusively by a high density (about 13,000/mm2) of OS-2-positive cones (Juliusson and colleagues). This region does not extend to the ventral retinal margin, however, where cone density drops precipitously. Transitional zones between COS-1 and OS-2 labeling, in a region of relatively high and uniform cone density, where sums of COS-1 and OS-2 labeling are higher than expected and in which weakly and strongly labeled cones are intermixed, raise questions about the identities of the visual pigment epitopes, the possibility of double labeling, and therefore the possibility of dual expression of pigments in single cones. The “inverted- T -shaped” topography of higher density OS-2 labeling raises doubts about the significance of a ventral concentration of blue cones for visual function in rabbit retina.
Topography and extent of visual-field representation in the superior colliculus of the megachiropteran Pteropus
Authors: Rosa Marcello G.P. , Schmid Leisa M. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractIt has been proposed that flying foxes (genus Pteropus) have a primate-like pattern of representation in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus (SC), whereby the visual representation in this structure is limited by the same decussation line that limits the retino-geniculo-cortical projection (Pettigrew, 1986). To test this hypothesis, visual receptive fields were plotted based on single- and multi-unit recordings in the SC of ten flying foxes. A complete representation of the contralateral hemifield was observed in the SC. Although the binocular hemifield of vision in Pteropus is 54 deg wide, receptive-field centers invaded the ipsilateral hemifield by only 8 deg, and the receptive-field borders by 13 deg. This invasion is similar to that observed at the border between visual areas VI and V2 in the occipital cortex. The extent of the ipsilateral invasion was not affected by a lesion that completely ablated the occipital visual areas, thus suggesting that this invasion may be consequence of a zone of nasotemporal overlap in the retinal projections to the two colliculi. Neurones located in the superficial layers typically responded briskly to stimulation of both eyes, with a bias towards the contralateral eye. After cortical lesions the neuronal responses to the ipsilateral eye were depressed, and the ocular-dominance histograms shifted towards an even stronger dominance by the contralateral eye. However, cells located in the rostral pole of the SC remained responsive to the ipsilateral eye after cortical lesions. Responses in the stratum opticum and stratum griseum intermediate were more severely affected by cortical lesions than those in the stratum griseum superficiale. Our results demonstrate that the SC in flying foxes retain some generalized mammalian characteristics, such as the stronger direct projections of the contralateral eye and the location of the upper, lower, central, and peripheral representations in the SC. Nonetheless, the extent of visual representation in the SC demonstrates a specialized, primate-like pattern. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that megachiropterans are members of a group that branched off early during the differentiation of primates from basal mammals.
Behavioral estimates of absolute threshold in rat
Authors: Tedó Carmen Muñoz , De Tejada Pilar Herreros , Green Daniel G. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractDark-adapted thresholds of albino and pigmented rats were estimated using behavioral methods. Albino and pigmented rats who had been water deprived learned to bar press for water reinforcement when a light stimulus was presented. Absolute threshold was defined to be the light intensity at which bar pressing behavior was significantly modified by the presence of the light stimulus. Albino rats had an average threshold of −5.23 log cd/m2 and the pigmented rats had a threshold of −5.0 log cd/m2. These values are close to −5.3 log cd/m2, the psychophysical threshold of human observers in the same apparatus. Consistent with our earlier electrophysiology, these behavioral experiments provide no evidence for an albino/pigmented sensitivity difference. Comparisons are made between behavioral and electrophysiological determinations of absolute threshold in albino and pigmented rats. Thresholds determined behaviorally agree remarkably well with those derived from visual evoked potentials.
Nerve growth factor (NGF) uptake and transport following injection in the developing rat visual cortex
Authors: Domenici Luciano , Fontanesi Gigliola , Cattaneo Antonio , Bagnoli Paola , Maffei Lamberto 
Published: June 2009

AbstractRecent investigations have shown that cortical nerve growth factor (NGF) infusions during the critical period inhibit ocular-dominance plasticity in the binocular portion of the rat visual cortex. The mechanisms underlying the effects of NGF on visual cortical plasticity are still unclear. To investigate whether during normal development intracortical and/or extracortical cells possess uptake/transport mechanisms for the neurotrophin, we injected125I-NGF into the occipital cortex of rats at different postnatal ages. Within the cortex, only a few labelled cells were observed. These cells were confined to the vicinity of the injection site and their number depended on the animal's age at the time of injection. Labelled cells were absent at postnatal day (PD) 10 but could be detected between PD 14 and PD 18. They then decreased in number over the following period and were not detected in adult animals. Outside the cortex, neurons of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) were not observed to take up and retrogradely transport NGF at any age after birth. In contrast, retrogradely labelled neurons were found in the basal forebrain. Labelled cells were first observed here at PD 14 and then increased in number until reaching the adult pattern. Our results show that intrinsic and extrinsic neurons are labelled following intracortical injections of iodinated NGF. In both neuronal populations, the uptake and transport of NGF is present over a period corresponding to the critical period for visual cortical plasticity. These findings suggest that NGF may play a role, both intra and extracortically, in plasticity phenomena.
Early appearance and transient expression of putative amino acid neurotransmitters and related molecules in the developing rabbit retina: An immunocytochemical study
Authors: Pow D.V. , Crook O.K. , Wong R.O.L. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractWe have studied, by immunocytochemistry, the ontogeny of GABA, glycine, glutamate, glutamine, and taurine-containing cells in the rabbit retina. Amacrine cells show GABA immunoreactivity by embryonic day 25 (E25) and throughout postnatal life. By contrast, ganglion cells and horizontal cells are only transiently GABA-immunoreactive (-IR); few appear GABA-IR by the third postnatal week. At maturity, glycine is present in amacrine cells and in some bipolar cells. During development, putative ganglion cells transiently contained glycine between E25 and postnatal day 3 (P3), whereas immunolabelling in presumed amacrine cells and bipolar cells persists after birth. Ganglion cells, bipolar cells, photoreceptors, and some amacrine cells are glutamate-IR in the adult retina. Glutamate immunoreactivity first appears in the somata and processes of cytoblastic cells by E20 and is prominent by E25. Surprisingly, ganglion cells are not strongly glutamate-IR until just before eye-opening, at postnatal day 10 (P10), coincident with the appearance of glutamine in their somata and in Müller glial cells. Bipolar cells are glutamate-IR before they or Müller cells contain high levels of glutamine (at P10). Glutamate immunoreactivity in photoreceptors is progressively restricted to the inner segments by eye-opening. At no stage are presumed horizontal cells glutamate-IR or glutamine-IR, but some amacrine cells show glutamate- and glutamine-IR by P10. Taurine is localized to photoreceptors and Müller glial in the adult retina. Some cytoblasts are taurine-IR at E20; with ensuing development, taurine labelling becomes restricted primarily to Müller cells and photoreceptors; some putative bipolar cells may also be labelled. However, for a few days around birth, cells resembling horizontal cells, also show taurine immunoreactivity. The early appearance and often transient expression of these amino acids in retinal cells suggests that these neuroactive molecules may be involved in the structural and functional development of the retina.