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Biomedical subjects

C E Ribak

Publications and source records attributed to C E Ribak.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

A regional increase in the number of hippocampal GABAergic neurons and terminals in the seizure-sensitive gerbil.

Inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) neurons were identified in the dentate gyrus of seizure-sensitive (SS) and seizure-resistant (SR) gerbils by immunocytochemical localization of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), the synthesizing enzyme for GABA. Increases in both the number of GAD+ somata and terminals were found in the dentate gyrus of the SS brains compared to the SR. The magnitude of the increase was positively correlated with the recorded seizure intensity. The increased number of GABAergic neurons in the dentate gyrus of SS gerbils could result in disinhibition of the granule cells, thereby allowing propagation of epileptiform activity through the hippocampus.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

A substantial number of asymmetric axosomatic synapses is a characteristic of the granule cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus.

The types of axosomatic synapses for pyramidal neurons of the Ammon's horn and granule cells of the dentate gyrus were investigated in the rat hippocampus. Local circuit neurons in both of these regions were also included. The mean number of axosomatic synapses was higher for pyramidal neurons than granule cells. Practically all of these synaptic contacts were symmetric for the pyramidal neurons of the CA1 area, whereas the percentage of asymmetric axosomatic synapses for granule cells and local circuit neurons was 21% and 26%, respectively. This finding is interesting because granule cells appear to be the only known projection neuron type to possess such a high percentage of asymmetric axosomatic synapses.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Axon terminals of GABAergic chandelier cells are lost at epileptic foci.

Axon terminals of chandelier cells were analyzed in monkeys with cortical focal epilepsy produced by alumina gel to determine if this type of GABAergic terminal is lost at epileptic foci. These terminals form a dense plexus with the axon initial segments of pyramidal neurons, especially those in layers II and III. Axon initial segments of pyramidal neurons were traced for at least 40 micron in serial thin sections and beyond this point were observed to become myelinated. In single sections, 10-15 axon terminals were found to form symmetric synapses throughout the entire length of the axon initial segments from nonepileptic preparations and were observed to synapse with only these structures and not adjacent dendrites or spines. In epileptic cortex, the axon initial segments of pyramidal neurons were apposed by glial profiles that contained clusters of filaments typical of reactive astrocytes. Only a few, small axon terminals were observed to form symmetric synapses with these axon initial segments. Thus, the chandelier cell axons appeared to degenerate in epileptic cortex. The highly strategic site of GABAergic inhibitory synapses on axon initial segments suggests that they exert a strong influence on the output of pyramidal cells. The near absence of these chandelier cell axons in epileptic foci most likely contributes to the hyperexcitability of neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

GABAergic neurons comprise a major cell type in rodent visual relay nuclei: an immunocytochemical study of pretectal and accessory optic nuclei.

The enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) has been localized in sections of rodent brains (gerbil, rat) using conventional immunocytochemical techniques. Our findings demonstrate that large numbers of GAD-positive neurons and axon terminals (puncta) are present in the visual relay nuclei of the pretectum and the accessory optic system. The areas of highest density of these neurons are in the nucleus of the optic tract (NOT) of the pretectum, the dorsal and lateral terminal accessory optic nuclei (DTN, LTN), the ventral and dorsal subdivisions of the medial terminal accessory optic nucleus (MTNv, MTNd), and the interstitial nucleus of the posterior fibers of the superior fasciculus (inSFp). The findings indicate that 27% of the NOT neurons are GAD-positive and that these neurons are distributed over all of the NOT except the most superficial portion of the NOT caudally. The GAD-positive neurons of the NOT are statistically smaller (65.9 microns2) than the total population of neurons of the NOT (84.3 microns2) but are otherwise indistinguishable in shape from the total neuron population. The other visual relay nuclei that have been analyzed (DTN, LTN, MTNv, MTNd, inSFp) are similar in that from 21% to 31% of their neurons are GAD-positive; these neurons are smaller in diameter and are more spherical than the total populations of neurons. The data further show that a large proportion of the neurons in these visual relay nuclei are contacted by GAD-positive axon terminals. It is estimated that approximately one-half of the neurons of the NOT and the terminal accessory optic nuclei receive a strong GABAergic input and have been called "GAD-recipient neurons". Further, the morphology of the GAD-positive neurons combined with their similar distribution to the GAD-recipient neurons suggest that many of these neurons are acting as GABAergic, local circuit neurons. On the other hand, the large number of GAD-positive neurons in the NOT and MTN (20-30%) in relation to estimates of projection neurons (75%) presents the possibility that some may in fact be projection neurons. The overall findings provide morphological evidence which supports the general conclusion that GABAergic neurons play a significant role in modulating the output of the visually related NOT and terminal accessory optic nuclei.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

A combined Golgi-electron microscopic study of non-pyramidal neurons in the CA 1 area of the hippocampus.

Non-pyramidal neurons of the CA 1 area of the rat hippocampus were identified with a combined Golgi-electron microscopic method. They were observed to have distinctive light and electron microscopic characteristics that are different from those of pyramidal cells. These features included smooth dendrites, locally arborizing axons, infolded cell nuclei with intranuclear rods or sheets, and a well-developed perikaryal cytoplasm with many organelles. In addition, the axon terminals that contact the somata and dendrites of local circuit neurons may form asymmetric as well as symmetric synapses. The axons of these cells form symmetric synapses with dendrites and somata of pyramidal cells. Some of these features were utilized to identify non-pyramidal neurons of the CA 1 area for studies of connectivity. Degenerating commissural terminals were found to form synapses with the dendrites and somata of non-pyramidal neurons. These results indicate that these neurons are a significant population of hippocampal neurons that may provide feed-forward inhibition of pyramidal neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The development, ultrastructure and synaptic connections of the mossy cells of the dentate gyrus.

One of the most distinctive and common cell types in Golgi preparations of the hilus of the rat dentate gyrus is the mossy cell. We have used a variety of techniques including the Golgi method, the combined Golgi and electron microscopic (EM) method and the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to study the development, ultrastructure and synaptic connections of this cell type. The mossy cells identified in our light microscopic preparations are characterized by: triangular or multipolar shaped somata; three to four primary dendrites that arise from the soma and bifurcate once or more to produce an extensive dendritic arborization restricted, for the most part, to the hilus; numerous thorny excrescences on their somata and proximal dendrites with typical spines on distal dendrites; and axons that bifurcate and are directed toward the fimbria and the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. The mossy cells have an immature appearance at birth and on subsequent days their maturation appears to lag somewhat behind that of the hippocampal pyramidal cells. On postnatal day 1, many of the dendrites bear growth cones primarily at their termini and have long, thin filipodia emanating from various points along their lengths. Many of the dendrites enter the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, though this is rarely seen in the mature brain. Typical pedunculate spines are first commonly seen on the distal dendrites around postnatal day 7 while thorny excrescences are first commonly seen between postnatal days 11 and 14. By postnatal day 21, the dendrites have attained a mature appearance although the density of both typical spines and thorny excrescences is less than that found in adults. Two different retrograde transport methods were used to confirm that mossy cells give rise to the commissural projection to the contralateral dentate gyrus. The first method combined HRP histochemistry with a silver intensification procedure and the second method combined HRP histochemistry with Golgi staining. While the majority of commissurally projecting hilar neurons had the appearance of mossy cells, there were others that were smaller and either ovoid or fusiform. In EM preparations, the somata of mature mossy cells display round nuclei that lack infoldings and intranuclear rods. The perikaryal cytoplasm contains the organelles typically found in pyramidal cells of the hippocampus. Somal spines with complex shapes and branching patterns are commonly observed. The thorny excrescences on the proximal dendrites correspond to spines with long thin stalks and complex end bulbs that may appear mushroom shaped.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Aging↗
PubMed1985

Increased numbers of neurons occur in the inferior colliculus of the young genetically epilepsy-prone rat.

To determine if the increase in the number of neurons observed in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the adult genetically epilepsy-prone rat (GEPR) as compared to the Sprague-Dawley rat was present in the young GEPRs prior to the time at which seizure activity commences, brains from both types of rats 4-10 days of age were studied. A statistically significant increase in the numbers of small neurons occurred in the IC of the young GEPR. At 4 days of age, a 55% increase in the number of small neurons was found in the GEPR as compared to the Sprague-Dawley rat and at 10 days of age this increase was 105%. The numbers of the medium and large neurons were similar in the older group of rats. These data suggest that the increase in cell number observed in the adult GEPR is not compensatory to the seizure activity, but is genetically programmed.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1985

Dendritic transport. I. Colchicine stimulates the transport of lysosomal enzymes from cell bodies to dendrites.

Injection of colchicine into the lateral cerebral ventricle of the rat was found to induce a paradoxical translocation of two lysosomal enzymes, dipeptidyl peptidase II (Dpp II) and acid phosphatase, from the soma of neurons to the dendrites. Following a single injection of colchicine, neuronal somata, which normally contain the bulk of these lysosomal enzymatic activities, become depleted of these enzymes, whereas dendrites become abnormally enriched. All neurons which contained these enzymes, except those of the mesencephalic nucleus of the trigeminal nerve, displayed this phenomenon. Lysosomal enzyme translocation into dendrites was observed in the mitral cell layer within 1 hr after a colchicine injection and could be induced in most neuronal populations by injections of colchicine as low as 25 micrograms. Five days after a 100-micrograms colchicine injection, a normal pattern of enzyme distribution was observed, indicating that the effect of colchicine was reversible. Enzyme translocation was not accompanied by gross changes in cell morphology, nor did it result in the specific loss of neuronal cell bodies which contained these enzymes. The results indicate that colchicine, under conditions known to inhibit axoplasmic transport, stimulates the transport of lysosomal enzymes from the cell body to the dendrites.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1985

A description of the GABAergic neurons and axon terminals in the motor nuclei of the cat thalamus.

The GABA neurons and their processes in the cat motor thalamic nuclei were identified and studied with glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) immunocytochemistry at both the light and electron microscopic levels. The three nuclei that comprise the motor thalamus, ventral anterior (VA), ventral medial (VM), and ventral lateral (VL), each displayed a characteristic distribution pattern of GAD-positive structures that was consistent with their afferent and intrinsic neuronal organization. All three thalamic nuclei displayed a population of small, GAD-positive cells the dendrites of which contained synaptic vesicles and participated in complex synaptic arrays such as serial synapses, triads, and glomeruli. Based on their ultrastructural features, these GAD-containing cells were identified as local circuit neurons. In contrast, the larger, GAD-negative cells were presumed to be the thalamocortical projection neurons. The axons of GAD-positive local circuit neurons could not be identified in these preparations. The number of GAD-positive dendrites in the neuropil was different for the three thalamic nuclei. In the VA and VM, the GAD-positive dendrites were numerous and formed symmetric synapses with dendrites of GAD-negative cells, mainly in association with corticothalamic boutons. Within VL, the GAD-containing dendrites were more numerous than in VA and VM and formed synapses at influential locations on presumed thalamocortical projection neurons, such as bases of primary dendrites, and bifurcation sites of primary and secondary dendrites. The VA and anterolateral VM nuclei that receive inhibitory GABAergic afferents from the entopeduncular nucleus and substantia nigra contained the highest concentration of large GAD-positive axon terminals. These boutons contained pleomorphic vesicles and numerous mitochondria and formed symmetric synapses and multiple puncta adherentes with dendrites and somata of presumed thalamocortical projection neurons. The size, ultrastructural features, and distribution of these GAD-positive boutons were similar to those features described for basal ganglia terminals in the motor thalamus of the cat. In addition, similar large-size GAD-positive boutons were observed in the medial VM, which receives basal ganglia afferents exclusively from the substantia nigra. The concentration of these terminals in medial VM along the dendrites of thalamocortical projection neurons was much less than that in VA and anterolateral VM. The VL nucleus which lacks basal ganglia input did not contain any large GAD-positive boutons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Dendritic transport. II. Somatofugal movement of neuronal lysosomes induced by colchicine: evidence for a novel transport system in dendrites.

The effect of colchicine injections on the ultrastructural localization of dipeptidyl peptidase II (Dpp II) was studied in the mitral cells of the rat olfactory bulb. In control animals, electron-dense reaction product representing Dpp II activity was observed in lysosomes, lipofuscin granules, short cisternae located close to the granular endoplasmic reticulum, and dense granules. Lysosomes and lipofuscin granules were the most intensely stained organelles. Dpp II-containing organelles were localized mainly to the cell body and were randomly distributed in the perikaryal cytoplasm. Twenty-four hours after a 100-micrograms intracerebroventricular colchicine injection, the distribution of Dpp II-containing organelles was drastically altered. Short cisternae and dense granules containing Dpp II reaction product were noticeably absent in these preparations. Lysosomes and lipofuscin granules were depleted from the perikaryal cytoplasm and were concentrated in dendrites. Lysosomes were observed to extend for considerable distances in dendrites where they acquired elongated and dumbbell shapes. The shapes of some of these labeled lysosomes gave the impression that they were actively being "pulled" into the dendrites. These results indicate that microtubules sequester lysosomes to the perikaryal cytoplasm and suggest the presence of a novel transport system responsible for the movement of lysosomes from the cell body to the dendrites.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Direct commissural connections to the basket cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus: anatomical evidence for feed-forward inhibition.

After lesions were placed in the hippocampal commissures, degenerating terminals could be localized above, inside and beneath the granule cell layer of the contralateral dentate gyrus. The terminals formed asymmetric synapses with spines, dendritic shafts and somata of granule cells. Degenerating terminals also formed synapses with dendrites and somata of basket cells identified by the Golgi-electron microscope technique. These basket cells were located either at the hilar border of the granule cell layer or in the molecular layer and each formed an axonal plexus around the somata and proximal dendrites of granule cells. These observations provide an anatomical basis for the recently described feed-forward inhibition in this brain region.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

The islands of Calleja complex of rat basal forebrain. III. Histochemical evidence for a striatopallidal system.

The characteristics of the islands of Calleja complex (ICC) in the basal forebrain of the rat were studied with immunohistochemistry, histofluorescence, acetylcholinesterase staining, India ink vascular perfusions, electron microscopy, and steroid autoradiography. The ICC contains clusters of granule cells and associated medium-sized and large cells in the surrounding neuropil of the olfactory tubercle and septum-nucleus accumbens interface. The ICCs were found to contain monoamine fibers (dopamine and norepinephrine), neuroactive peptide fibers (leu-enkephalin, met-enkephalin, substance P, cholecystokinin, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone), acetylcholinesterase-containing somata and dendrites, and medium-sized and large cells that concentrate [3H] estradiol. The specific overlap and combination of putative neurotransmitters in separate compartments of the ICC suggest that these structures contain striatum- and pallidumlike components. Striatumlike regions are defined as the zone in the rim regions of the ICC and are innervated predominantly by dopamine and cholecystokinin inputs. Pallidumlike regions are defined as the synaptic zone near the medium-sized and large cells of the cap and core regions of the ICC and they are innervated predominantly by enkephalin, substance P, and gamma aminobutyric acid inputs. The morphology, connections, and neurotransmitter relationships of the ICC, therefore, resemble classical striatopallidal systems. The additional presence of substances involved in the reproductive neuroendocrine systems (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, estradiol-binding cells, especially in the medial ICC, suggest that some ICC are involved in an endocrine corticostriatopallidal system. These endocrine systems resemble other neocortically and allocortically originating corticostriatopallidal systems in terms of their cell types, connections, and neurotransmitter systems. A functional role for the ICC in extrapyramidal motor systems is proposed.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1983

GABAergic cells in the dentate gyrus appear to be local circuit and projection neurons.

Immunocytochemical results indicate that GAD-positive neurons are found in the molecular and granule cell layers of the dentate gyrus as well as in the hilar region. GAD-positive cells in the molecular and granule cell layers are identified as various types of local circuit neurons. Most of the GAD-positive puncta found throughout the molecular layer and within the granule cell layer are interpreted as axon terminals of these neurons, including five types of basket cells. This interpretation is based on data that indicate the axons of basket cells form synapses with the somata and proximal dendrites of granule cells. The results in the hilus show that 60% of the hilar neurons are GAD-positive. Since previous studies have indicated that 80% of hilar neurons give rise to both associational and commissural pathways, many GABAergic neurons in the hilus are probably projection neurons. This finding is consistent with recent physiological data which suggest that commissural pathway stimulation directly inhibits granule cells. Therefore, GABAergic cells in the dentate gyrus appear to be both projection and local circuit neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Five types of basket cell in the hippocampal dentate gyrus: a combined Golgi and electron microscopic study.

Five types of basket cell in the hippocampal denate gyrus of rats were analysed with a combined Golgi and electron microscopic method. Light microscopic observations show that the large somata of these different cell types are located either in the granule cell layer or within 30-50 micron of this layer. The somata of basket cells are pyramidal, horizontal, fusiform or multipolar. Dendrites of basket cells are aspinous or sparsely spinous and are found in all layers of the dentate gyrus. Their axons form an extensive plexus in the granule cell and lower molecular layers. Electron microscopic preparations of Golgi-impregnated, gold-toned basket cells revealed gold-labelled neurons with distinct ultrastructural features. All somata of basket cells displayed an extensive perikaryal cytoplasm with large Nissl bodies and nuclei with infoldings, euchromatin, intranuclear rods and sheets, and large nucleoli. The aspinous dendrites as well as the somata had a mixture of asymmetric and symmetric synapses on their surfaces. Basket cell dendrites located in the hilus were contacted by numerous terminals with characteristics of mossy fibres derived from granule cells. Some of these terminals were identified positively in preparations that also contained impregnated granule cells. The axons of basket cells formed exclusively symmetric synapses. The most common postsynaptic structures to these terminals were the somata and dendrites of granule cells. Dendritic spines were rarely contacted by basket cell axons while the axon hillocks and initial segments of granule cells were never contacted. These findings are consistent with previous immunocytochemical, and physiological data that indicate feedback inhibitory mechanisms in the dentate gyrus are mediated via mossy fibre collaterals which synapse with GABAergic basket cells. In addition, the electron microscopic data for basket cells are similar to those for aspinous stellate cells in the neocortex, another type of cortical, GABAergic local circuit neuron. Thus, the basket cells in the dentate gyrus may have a function similar to other inhibitory, cortical local circuit neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Ultrastructure of commissural neurons of the hilar region in the hippocampal dentate gyrus.

Previous studies have described the polymorph neurons in the hilus of the dentate gyrus at the light microscopic level and have indicated that many of those neurons are the cells of origin for both ipsilateral associational and commissural projections to the dentate gyrus. Because previous studies have not described the ultrastructural characteristics of the hilar neurons, we identified these features of the commissural neurons in the hilus. The method of retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was utilized with a silver staining technique for HRP intensification. Two populations of labeled commissural neurons were observed in electron microscopic preparations of the contralateral hilus. One type consisted of cells with somata that exhibited round or oval nuclei with no intranuclear inclusions and formed symmetric axosomatic synapses. The main dendrites of those neurons were thick and tapering. In contrast, the other type of labeled neuronal soma had infolded nuclei containing intranuclear rods or sheets, displayed both symmetric and asymmetric axosomatic synapses, and had dendrites that were less thick and generally aspinous. In those same preparations, labeled commissural axon terminals formed synapses with dendrites and dendritic spines in the hilus and molecular layer and with somata in the granule cell layer. From the results of this study it appears that there are two distinct populations of commissural hilar neurons: one type resembles the morphology of the spiny CA3 pyramidal neuron, a type of excitatory projection cell, and the other type is similar to the dentate gyrus basket cell, a local circuit neuron associated with GABAergic inhibition. This latter cell type provides further support for the notion that some commissural neurons are inhibitory.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Chandelier cells in rat visual cortex.

Golgi-impregnated chandelier cells in rat visual cortex have been examined by both light and electron microscopy. All of the chandelier cells impregnated have their cell bodies within layer II/III and although they occur throughout area 17, there are increased numbers at the area 17/18a border and to a lesser extent at the area 17/18 border. Most of the chandelier cells are bitufted neurons, with groups of dendrites extending from the upper and lower poles of an elongate cell body, but some cells have a more multipolar configuration. The perikaryal cytoplasm is rich in rough endoplasmic reticulum and both the cell body and the sparsely spinous dendrites receive axon terminals forming symmetric and asymmetric synapses. The axons of these neurons arise from either the lower pole of the cell body or the base of one of the dendrites in the lower tuft, and the axons form laterally spread plexuses which terminate in vertical strings of boutons. The boutons in each string synapse with axon initial segments of layer II/III pyramidal cells, the uppermost bouton in each string being 7 to 14 micrometers distant from the pyramidal cell body. Some layer II/III pyramidal cells seem to receive boutons from more than one chandelier cell, others from a single chandelier cell, and still other appear to receive no chandelier cell terminals. The axon terminals of the chandelier cells are irregular in shape, contain pleomorphic synaptic vesicles, and form symmetric synapses. Evidence is presented to show that axon terminals exhibiting the same morphological features and site of synaptic termination as those of the chandelier cells contain glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), the enzyme which synthesizes GABA. Hence the chandelier cells are probably GABAergic, inhibitory neurons. Other GAD-positive axon terminals synapse with the cell bodies, axon hillocks, and proximal portions of the axon initial segments of the layer II/III pyramidal cells, and these terminals are probably derived from the smooth and sparsely spinous stellate cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The island of Calleja complex of rat basal forebrain. I. Light and electron microscopic observations.

An analysis of the cells and their processes within the island of Calleja complexes (ICC) was made in light and electron microscopic preparations to determine synaptic relationships within this part of the basal forebrain. The light microscopic preparations showed that the ICC contained two cell types, granule cells and large cells. In electron microscopic preparations, the somata of granule cells were grouped together and were directly apposed to other somata of granule cells. Specialized junctions (4-6 nm wide) that occurred at sites of somal apposition suggested ephaptic coupling of granule cells. The granule cell somata had nuclei that contained clumps of heterochromatin adjacent to smooth nuclear envelopes. The perikaryal cytoplasm of these cells consisted of a relatively thin rim containing few organelles. Spinous dendrites of small diameter were occasionally found in continuity with these cells. Axon terminals rarely formed synapses with the somata of granule cells, but were more frequently found to synapse on their dendrites and dendritic spines. These features for granule cells are similar to those for medium-sized spiny neurons in the neostriatum. The somata of the large cells were found either within the core or along the dorsal margin of the ICC. The large cells had infolded nuclei and an abundant perikaryal cytoplasm that contained many organelles. Large diameter dendrites that tapered down to smaller diameters emanated in many directions from these somata. Axon terminals covered nearly the entire surface of these somata and dendrites where they commonly formed symmetric synaptic junctions. These characteristics of large cells indicate a resemblance to the large cells in the globus pallidus and ventral pallidum. Therefore, the ICC have ultrastructural features found in both the neostriatum and globus pallidus.

Animals↗