ABSTRACT
The intracortical pathways of climbing fibers were traced in several vertebrate cerebella using light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. They were identified as fine fibers up to 1(micron thick, with a characteristic crossing-over bifurcation pattern. Climbing fiber collaterals were tridimensionally visualized forming thin climbing fiber glomeruli in the granular layer. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed three types of collateral processes at the interface between granular and Purkinje cell layers. Scanning electron microscopy showed climbing fiber retrograde collaterals in the molecular layer. Asymmetric synaptic contacts of climbing fibers with Purkinje dendritic spines and stellate neuron dendrites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. Correlative microscopy allowed us to obtain the basic three-dimensional morphological features of climbing fibers in several vertebrates and to show with more accuracy a higher degree of lateral collateralization of these fibers within the cerebellar cortex. The correlative microscopy approach provides new views in the cerebellar cortex information processing.(AU)
Subject(s)
Comparative Study , Humans , Animals , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Guinea Pigs , Mice , RESEARCH SUPPORT, NON-U.S. GOVT , RESEARCH SUPPORT, U.S. GOVT, NON-P.H.S. , Axons/ultrastructure , Cerebellar Cortex/ultrastructure , Dendrites/ultrastructure , Neural Pathways/ultrastructure , Olivary Nucleus/ultrastructure , Purkinje Cells/ultrastructure , Axons/physiology , Cerebellar Cortex/physiology , Dendrites/physiology , Fishes , Macaca mulatta/anatomy & histology , Macaca mulatta/physiology , Neural Pathways/physiology , Olivary Nucleus/physiology , Purkinje Cells/physiology , Trout/anatomy & histology , Trout/physiologyABSTRACT
The intracortical pathways of climbing fibers were traced in several vertebrate cerebella using light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. They were identified as fine fibers up to 1(micron thick, with a characteristic crossing-over bifurcation pattern. Climbing fiber collaterals were tridimensionally visualized forming thin climbing fiber glomeruli in the granular layer. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed three types of collateral processes at the interface between granular and Purkinje cell layers. Scanning electron microscopy showed climbing fiber retrograde collaterals in the molecular layer. Asymmetric synaptic contacts of climbing fibers with Purkinje dendritic spines and stellate neuron dendrites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. Correlative microscopy allowed us to obtain the basic three-dimensional morphological features of climbing fibers in several vertebrates and to show with more accuracy a higher degree of lateral collateralization of these fibers within the cerebellar cortex. The correlative microscopy approach provides new views in the cerebellar cortex information processing.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Guinea Pigs , Mice , Axons/ultrastructure , Purkinje Cells/ultrastructure , Cerebellar Cortex/ultrastructure , Dendrites , Neural Pathways , Olivary Nucleus/ultrastructure , Axons/physiology , Purkinje Cells/physiology , Cerebellar Cortex/physiology , Dendrites , Fishes , Macaca mulatta , Neural Pathways , Olivary Nucleus/physiology , TroutABSTRACT
The intracortical pathways of climbing fibers were traced in several vertebrate cerebella using light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. They were identified as fine fibers up to 1(micron thick, with a characteristic crossing-over bifurcation pattern. Climbing fiber collaterals were tridimensionally visualized forming thin climbing fiber glomeruli in the granular layer. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed three types of collateral processes at the interface between granular and Purkinje cell layers. Scanning electron microscopy showed climbing fiber retrograde collaterals in the molecular layer. Asymmetric synaptic contacts of climbing fibers with Purkinje dendritic spines and stellate neuron dendrites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. Correlative microscopy allowed us to obtain the basic three-dimensional morphological features of climbing fibers in several vertebrates and to show with more accuracy a higher degree of lateral collateralization of these fibers within the cerebellar cortex. The correlative microscopy approach provides new views in the cerebellar cortex information processing.
Subject(s)
Axons/ultrastructure , Cerebellar Cortex/ultrastructure , Dendrites/ultrastructure , Neural Pathways/ultrastructure , Olivary Nucleus/ultrastructure , Purkinje Cells/ultrastructure , Adolescent , Adult , Animals , Axons/physiology , Cerebellar Cortex/physiology , Child , Dendrites/physiology , Fishes , Guinea Pigs , Humans , Macaca mulatta/anatomy & histology , Macaca mulatta/physiology , Mice , Neural Pathways/physiology , Olivary Nucleus/physiology , Purkinje Cells/physiology , Trout/anatomy & histology , Trout/physiologyABSTRACT
Intraperitoneal administration of an antimetabolite of nicotinamide, 3-acetylpyridine (3-AP) to adult rats at the dose of 65 mg/kg selectively produces lesions of the olivary nerve cells in the medulla oblongata. The neurons show progressive swelling and destruction with cell retraction, apparently by interference of energy production by means of formation of nicotinamide adenin dinucleotide analogues. Although the selectiveness of injury of olivary nerve cells to the action of 3-AP still remains unclear, the findings in the present work along with those reported in the literature reflect the existence of a regional characteristic pattern of metabolism in the various structures of the central nervous system.