Abstract

This research is directed at providing an ultrastructural description of physiologically-defined circuitry in the lateral geniculate nucleus of cats. Emphasis is placed on a description of retinogeniculate circuitry and differences among the W-, X-, and Y-cell pathways. Such information is not only fundamental to an understanding of the neural basis of vision but also can serve as a framework against which to compare neural correlates of certain forms of amblyopia. Structure and function are related at the single cell level in the following manner. Physiological recordings of a single axon or cell are accomplished intracellularly with a fine micropipette filled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and HRP is then iontophoresed into the physiologically defined neuronal element. The HRP completely fills a soma and its dendrites or an axon and its terminal boutons, and the HRP reaction product is used as an electrondense marker for subsequent ultrastructural analysis. Electron microscopic reconstructions from such material permit a fairly complete description of synaptic circuits related to single, physiologically identified cells. Plans are described to analyze both the geniculate terminals of various afferents (W-, X-, or Y-cell optic tract, perigeniculate, corticogeniculate) as well as the synapses formed onto geniculate W-, X-, and Y-cells.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY003604-05
Application #
3257975
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Project Start
1981-05-01
Project End
1989-04-30
Budget Start
1985-05-01
Budget End
1986-04-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
State University New York Stony Brook
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
804878247
City
Stony Brook
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
11794

  Publications

Godwin, D W; Van Horn, S C; Eriir, A et al. (1996) Ultrastructural localization suggests that retinal and cortical inputs access different metabotropic glutamate receptors in the lateral geniculate nucleus. J Neurosci 16:8181-92
Tamamaki, N; Uhlrich, D J; Sherman, S M (1995) Morphology of physiologically identified retinal X and Y axons in the cat's thalamus and midbrain as revealed by intraaxonal injection of biocytin. J Comp Neurol 354:583-607
Gunluk, A E; Bickford, M E; Sherman, S M (1994) Rearing with monocular lid suture induces abnormal NADPH-diaphorase staining in the lateral geniculate nucleus of cats. J Comp Neurol 350:215-28
Bickford, M E; Gunluk, A E; Van Horn, S C et al. (1994) GABAergic projection from the basal forebrain to the visual sector of the thalamic reticular nucleus in the cat. J Comp Neurol 348:481-510
Cucchiaro, J B; Uhlrich, D J; Sherman, S M (1993) Ultrastructure of synapses from the pretectum in the A-laminae of the cat's lateral geniculate nucleus. J Comp Neurol 334:618-30
Bickford, M E; Gunluk, A E; Guido, W et al. (1993) Evidence that cholinergic axons from the parabrachial region of the brainstem are the exclusive source of nitric oxide in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. J Comp Neurol 334:410-30
Uhlrich, D J; Cucchiaro, J B; Humphrey, A L et al. (1991) Morphology and axonal projection patterns of individual neurons in the cat perigeniculate nucleus. J Neurophysiol 65:1528-41
Cucchiaro, J B; Uhlrich, D J; Sherman, S M (1991) Electron-microscopic analysis of synaptic input from the perigeniculate nucleus to the A-laminae of the lateral geniculate nucleus in cats. J Comp Neurol 310:316-36
Cucchiaro, J B (1991) Early development of the retinal line of decussation in normal and albino ferrets. J Comp Neurol 312:193-206
Cucchiaro, J B; Bickford, M E; Sherman, S M (1991) A GABAergic projection from the pretectum to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the cat. Neuroscience 41:213-26

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