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B Dreher

Publications and source records attributed to B Dreher.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The loss of ganglion cells in the developing retina of the rat.

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into both sides of the brain of newborn and adult rats. The number of retinal ganglion cells was estimated by counting cells containing granules of HRP reaction product. The mean number of labelled cells in 2-day-old animals was 169,500 (S.D. +/- 16,000, n = 6). By the tenth postnatal day the mean number of labelled cells had fallen to 113,500 (+/- 2900, n = 3). This value is similar to the mean number of labelled cells in the adult animal (113,000 +/- 2700; n = 4). Thus, during the first few postnatal days the number of retinal cells projecting to the central visual nuclei is reduced by at least 35%.

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Functional morphology of beta cells in the area centralis of the cat's retina: a model for the evolution of central retinal specializations.

The dendritic morphology of beta cells in and around the area centralis of the retinae of normally pigmented and Siamese cats is described. Individual central beta cells in the Siamese cat do not differ morphologically from central beta cells in normally pigmented cats, and in both groups of animals, there is a clear morphological continuity between central and peripheral beta cells. On the basis of systematic patterns of beta cell dendritic orientation, ther area centralis of the normal cat can be divided into a central region, approximately 200 micrometers in diameter, and a pericentral region, approximately 1,400 micrometers in diameter. In the central region, nearly all beta cells have a single large primary dendrite which descends perpendicular to the plane of inner plexiform layer, and gives rise to a dendritic tree which is vertically aligned with the cell's soma. In the pericentral region, the single primary dendrite of most cells descends obliquely through the inner plexiform layer and gives rise to a dendritic tree which is displaced laterally from the position of the soma. For most of the cells the trajectory of the dendrite is systematically related to the location of the cell relative to the area centralis such that the somas are displaced away from its center, presumably in order to minimize the thickness of the ganglion cell layer in the high acuity region. Many beta cells outside the pericentral region also have oriented single primary dendrites, but their orientation seems fairly random with respect to the location of the area centralis. In the Siamese area centralis, this systematic pattern of beta cell dendritic orientation is markedly reduced, suggesting that the pattern is under genetic control. On the basis of these observations, a model for the evolution of the area centralis and fovea is presented which involves selection for systematic for systematic patterns of dendritic orientation in regions of high ganglion cell density.

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Retinal ganglion cell classes in the Old World monkey: morphology and central projections.

Labeled ganglion cells were studied in whole-mount retinas of Old World monkeys after electrophoretic injections of horseradish peroxidase into physiologically characterized sites. A number of different morphological classes have been identified, each of which has a distinctive pattern of central projection. Since different functional classes of primate retinal ganglion cells also have distinctive patterns of central projection, correspondences between functional and morphological cell types have been inferred. There prove to be parallels between morphological types of cat monkey ganglion cells.

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Lymphatic metastasis of mammary adenocarcinoma. An experimental study in the rat with a brief review of the literature.

When 5 million cells of the solid form 13762 rat mammary carcinoma are implanted into the footpad of syngeneic rats there is consistent (approximately 100%) metastasis to the draining popliteal node and thence up the lymphatic chain to the lungs. With the transmission electron microscope tumor cells are seen to penetrate gaps in the lymphatic endothelium, probably but not certainly, between endothelial cells. There is neither widespread patency nor significant destruction of lymphatic endothelium. The tumor cells penetrate in groups and lie in the lymphatic in groups with some evidence of acinar differentiation. Tumor cells lodge in groups in the subcapsular sinus and progressively pass down the radial sinusoids and destroy the node; as they grow there is extensive differentiation into adenocarcinoma. The draining lymph obtained by cannulation does not contain an increase in total cells. A few tumor cells are present mostly in clumps. Recruitment is continuous but not progressively increasing. Any theories on neoplastic invasion and metastasis must take into consideration possible aggregation of some tumor cell types in groups. The literature on experimental lymphatic metastasis is reviewed briefly.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Lymphatic metastasis: invasion of lymphatic vessels and efflux of tumour cells in the afferent popliteal lymph as seen in the Walker rat carcinoma.

When twenty million Walker rat carcinoma cells are injected into the footpad of albino outbred rats, there is progressive metastasis to the draining popliteal and thence para-aortic lymph nodes. The lymphatic duct efferent from the footpad and afferent to the popliteal node has been cannulated; it has been shown that there is a continuous and progressively increasing output of tumour cells, small and large lymphocytes, macrophages and polymorphs from the footpad. About 20 per cent of the cells are tumour cells. The number of tumour cells in the popliteal and para-aortic nodes has been counted using a Coulter counter and subsequent differential counting of stained smears; the nodes contain a progressively increasing number of both tumour cells and lymphoreticular cells. The early accumulation of tumour cells in the para-aortic nodes makes it evident that tumour cells pass rapidly through the primary node. Examination of the simulated primary tumour by transmission electron microscopy suggests that tumour cells move actively toward lymphatics and protrude cytoplasmic processes through gaps in the endothelium. The endothelial cell then degenerates in close proximity to tumour cell processes. This leaves gaps through which tumour cells may pass and ultimately results in lymphatics with large defects in their walls.

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Lymphatic metastasis of tumour; persistent transport of cells.

A model of lymphatic metastasis established by injecting Walker rat carcinoma cells into the rat footpad was used to study the output of tumour cells from the footpad. The lymphatic efferent from the footpad was cannulated in a group of rats with advanced neoplasm; it was shown that the output of tumour cells was continuous over periods up to 90 min and ranged from 10(2)-10(5) cells/min.

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A correlation of receptive field properties with conduction velocity of cells in the rat's retino-geniculo-cortical pathway.

1. The receptive field properties and responses to electrical stimulation of 126 P-cells recorded from the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd) were studied in the hooded rat. 2. Eighty-five cells had a concentric (Kuffler, 1953) receptive field organisation (46 off-centre on-surround; 39 on-centre off-surround). Of the remaining cells 29 had co-extensive on/off excitatory discharge regions, nine had on-centres with suppressive surrounds and two cells gave on-responses but had no suppressive surround. One cell was identified as suppressed-by-contrast. 3. On the basis of the battery of tests developed for the identification of cell types in the cat's retina and LGNd, 35 of the cells with a Kuffler-type receptive field organisation were identified as Y-like. The majority of the remaining cells, both concentric and others, reminded us of the different subclasses of W-cells of the cat. Nine concentric cells in most of the tests exhibited X-like properties. 4. All of the Y-like cells were driven by relatively fast conducting retinal ganglion cell axons, comprising the t1 conduction velocity group. The majority of the remaining cells were driven by slower axons comprising t2 or t3 conduction velocity groups. 5. Thus, in the rat, as in other mammalian species studied so far, there is a correlation between the conduction velocity groups in the retino-geniculo-cortical pathway and the functional groups based on the cells' receptive field properties. There seem to be functional equivalents of the cat's Y- and W-cell classes but evidence for a distinct X-like class of cells is lacking.

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Visual suppression from nondominant eye in the lateral geniculate nucleus: a comparison of cat and monkey.

We have studied the suppression of firing in single LGN cells of cat and monkey in response to visual stimulation of the nondominant eye. In the cat LGN most of the cells of each of the main laminae show this nondominat suppression. X cells having their dominant input from the ipsilateral eye were suppressed to a significantly greater degree than any other cell type in the cat LGN. In the monkey LGN nondominant suppression was absent in all 19 X-like cells studied, whereas 6 of 21 Y-like cells showed nondominant suppression. Thus nondominant suppression is present in the magnocellular laminae of the monkey LGN, where the Y-like cells are found, but appears to be absent from the parvocellular laminae, where the X-like cells are found.

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Properties of neurons in cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus: a comparison between medial interlaminar and laminated parts of the nucleus.

We studied the receptive field properties of 460 cells in the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd), 108 cells were located in the medial interlaminar nucleus (MIN) and 352 in the laminated part of the LGNd. In both the MIN and laminated parts of the LGNd, relay cells belonging to all three functional classes (W, X and Y) have been identified. Of cells in the laminated LGNd, about 32.5% were Y cells, about 54.5% were X cells and about 8.5% were W cells. By contrast, in the MIN, about 84% were Y cells, only about 4.5% being X cells and about 7.5%, W cells. In the laminated LGNd, Y cells represented 25% of cells with receptive fields near the area centralis (0-3 degrees eccentricity group) and about 42% in the group of cells with the most peripherally located receptive fields (20-40 degrees eccentricity group). A similar but much weaker trend was observed in the MIN. In the laminated LGNd but not in the MIN the receptive field center sizes increased with increasing eccentricity of receptive field position. At any eccentricity, receptive field centers of MIN Y cells tended to be larger than those of Y cells in the laminated LGNd. Response latency ranges to orthodromic and antidromic stimulation were the same for cells located in the laminated LGNd and those in the MIN. However, the mean response latency to stimulation of the optic chiasm was significantly shorter for Y cells in MIN than for Y cells in the laminated LGNd. Our results suggest that the most numerous cells observed histologically in the MIN, class 1 cells of Guillery ('66) are morphological equivalents of Y cells.

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Hierarchical and parallel mechanisms in the organization of visual cortex.

We argue that it seems fruitful to regard the retino-geniculate-cortical pathway, and perhaps the visual pathways in general, as comprising distinct neuronal channels which begin with the major groupings of ganglion cells, and subserve distinct functions within the overall operation of the visual system. One problem for future work is to determine the extent and, equally importantly, the limitations of the idea of independently functioning neuronal channels operating within the visual system. Some evidence of those limitations is already available. Kulikowski and Tolhurst have provided evidence suggesting that pattern detection is mediated by the X-like system at high spatial frequencies and by the Y-like system at low frequencies, but that at intermediate frequencies, both systems are likely to contribute to this function. Again, there is already physiological and psychophysical evidence of inhibitory interaction between X- and Y-cell systems, which may contribute to their functioning. That is, although there is little evidence of excitatory interaction between W-, X- and Y-cell systems, at least up to the first cortical synapse, the functioning of, say, the X-cell system may depend on the inhibitory influences impinging on it from Y-cell activity. Further, it may prove to be the case that one cell 'system' may be involved in several distinct functions and considerable work may be required to establish whether or not these functions can be considered constituent parts of an overall function, such as 'ambient' or 'foveal' vision. In the following section we suggest a classification and terminology for visual neurones which may provide a framework for future work on these lines.

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Identification, classification and anatomical segregation of cells with X-like and Y-like properties in the lateral geniculate nucleus of old-world primates.

1. All the cells (158) that we studied in the lateral geniculate nuclei of Macaca nemestrina and Macaca irus could be distinguished as either X-like or Y-like on the basis of their responses to tests developed to classify cat retinal and lateral geniculate nucleus cells. These tests include responses to stationary spots, fast moving wands and moving gratings. 2. Response latencies to electrical stimulation of the optic chiasm were determined for 130 cells; no X-like cell showed a latency shorter than 1-7 ms, no Y-like cell showed a latency longer than 1-6 ms. Primate lateral geniculate nucleus cells with X-like properties thus receive their excitatory input from retinal cells with slowly conducting axons and these most probably include the tonic ganglion cells described by Gouras (1968, 1969); Y-like lateral geniculate nucleus cells are driven by retinal cells with faster conducting axons, most probably including the phasic ganglion cells described by Gouras. 3. Wiesel & Hubel (1966) classified monkey lateral geniculate nucleus cells into four main types based on their receptive-field properties, as revealed by spectrally and spatially distinct stimuli. We find that all Type I and Type II cells show X-like properties; all type IV cells show Y-like properties. Type III consists of a subtype that show X-like properties, here termed Type IIIx, and a subtype that show Y-like properties, here termed Type IIIy. 4. The first cells encountered as the micro-electrode reached the lateral geniculate nucleus were always X-like. In some penetrations only X-like cells were encountered as the electrode moved downward through the lateral geniculate nucleus. In the remaining penetrations, after recording X-like cells through most of the lateral geniculate nucleus, Y-like cells were then encountered. No X-like cells were found below Y-like cells. thus these two classes of cells are anatomically segregated within the primate lateral geniculate nucleus. Electrode marking showed the borger between X-like and Y-like cells to correspond to the border between the paro- and magnocellular layers of the lateral geniculate nucleus. Thus X-like cells (i.e. Types I, II and IIIx) occur in the parvocellular layers, Y-like cells (i.e. Types IIIy and IV)in the magnocellular layers.

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Visual receptive-field properties of cells in area 18 of cat's cerebral cortex before and after acute lesions in area 17.

1. Receptive-field properties of single neurons in cat's cortical area 18 were studied before and after partial bilateral lesions of area 17. 2. The majority of cells recorded from animals with intact visual cortex exhibited orientation selectivity, directional selectivity, and could be independently activated through either eye. All cells responded well to moving targets and nearly all of them exhibited broadly tuned preferences with respect to speed of the target. Over 45% of cells responded optimally or exclusively at very fast (above 50 degrees/s) speeds. 3. The majority of neurons recorded from animals with intact visual cortex responded weakly but clearly to appropriately oriented localized stationary stimuli flashed on and off. About one-third of the cells responded with mixed on-off discharges from all over their receptive field. In the receptive fields of 10% of cells, separate on- and off-discharge regions could be revealed. In the receptive fields of the remaining cells, only on- or only off-discharge regions could be revealed. 4. The majority of neurons recorded after ablation of area 17 were orientation selective; 50% of the cells were also direction selective. All neurons responded well to moving targets; about 65% of them responded optimally or exclusively at very fast target speeds. 5. Destruction of the dorsolateral part of contralaterial area 17 and most of contralateral area 18 caused significant reduction in proportion of cells in area 18 which could be activated through either eye. 6. The majority of neurons recorded after ablation responded to appropriately oriented localized stationary stimuli flashed on and off. Cells with mixed on-off discharge regions all over the receptive field with separate on- and off-discharge regions and with only on- or only off-discharge regions were found. 7. It is concluded that the processing of afferent visual information in area 18 is, to a great extent, independent of the information carried to this area by associational fibers from cells of area 17.

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