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Biomedical subjects

F Murakami

Publications and source records attributed to F Murakami.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Preferential adhesion of chick central neurons to the gray matter of the central nervous system.

Dissociated chick neocortical neurons were cultured on cryostat sections of the rat central nervous system. The neurons adhered to and grew on the gray matter of the tissue derived from various parts of the central nervous system (CNS), but were not seen on the white matter. However, cell attachment was seen on sciatic nerve. This preferred adhesion to and growth on the gray matter of the CNS was abolished by irradiation of ultraviolet light which is supposed to denaturate proteins without disturbing tissue architecture. These observations suggest that differential cell adhesion to the gray and white matter could be ascribable to localization of some adhesive molecule(s) in the gray matter or to localization of nonpermissive molecule(s) in the CNS gray matter.

Animals↗

Glycosaminoglycan-related epitopes surrounding different subsets of mammalian central neurons.

Among a panel of monoclonal antibodies generated against monkey brain tissue, a class of antibodies was found to produce perineuronal staining of small subsets of mammalian central neurons. Three antibodies (MAbs 473, 376, 528) we report here define two different, though partially overlapping, neuronal subsets in the monkey neocortex. All 3 antibodies stain in addition certain chondrocytes. The neural immunoreactivities were lost, and the chondral immunoreactivities either lost or enhanced, after treatment of the sections with chondroitinase ABC. Independently, 3 other antibodies (MAbs 1B5, 9A2, 3B3) with established specificity to glycosaminoglycan epitopes also produced perineuronal staining of a related subset of central neurons. Immunoblot experiments with two of the antibodies revealed bands of high molecular weight. These findings indicate that certain glycosaminoglycans occur surrounding mammalian central neurons, and suggest that different neuronal subsets are associated with different combinations of proteoglycan epitopes.

Animals↗

A monoclonal antibody identifies a novel epitope surrounding a subpopulation of the mammalian central neurons.

A monoclonal antibody was obtained by immunizing mice with an extract of monkey brain. The monoclonal antibody 473 stained a small subpopulation of neurons in various regions of monkey and rat central nervous system. The perimeters of neuronal somata and the proximal parts of dendrites bound the antibody. Electron microscopic analysis showed that the immunoreactivity was associated with the outer surface of the cell. The immunoreactivity in the rat cerebral cortex appeared gradually during the second four weeks after birth. The antibody stained fetal cartilages but otherwise was specific to the nervous system. Experiments on the stability of the immunoreactivity to enzymatic and chemical treatments of the sections suggest that the antigen molecule is of proteoglycan nature.

Animals↗

Climbing fibers are labelled after injection of PHA-L into the nucleus interpositus of the cat.

After injection of Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) into the interposed nucleus of the cat, labelled fibers were found in the granular layer as well as in the molecular layer of the cerebellar cortex. Those in the molecular layer were judged from their location and morphology as climbing fibers. Such labelling of climbing fibers which have not been labelled by autoradiography could be attributed to higher sensitivity and resolution of PHA-L method. In addition, Purkinje cell soma and its dendrites were labelled in a narrow stripe in the vermal and paravermal cortex. The pattern of labelling suggests that they were labelled by retrograde transport of the lectin.

Animals↗

Presence of crossed corticorubral fibers and increase of crossed projections after unilateral lesions of the cerebral cortex of the kitten: a demonstration using anterograde transport of Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin.

Brain lesions made during early developmental stages produce more prominent remodeling of synaptic organization than those made in adults. This difference in the extent of neuronal or synaptic plasticity between immature and mature animals may be due to difference in the capacity for axonal elongation. Alternatively, it could be due to the prevention of retraction of exuberant projections present only in the early developmental stages. Aberrant crossed corticorubral projections seen after neonatal hemispherectomy have been ascribed to collateral sprouting. To determine whether these results from the prevention of retraction of crossed fibers, we studied the corticorubral pathway in normal kittens and compared it with that observed after unilateral cortical lesion, using the plant lectin Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L). One to two weeks after injection of PHA-L, many immunocytochemically labelled fibers were observed in the red nucleus (RN) ipsilateral to the cortical injection. Although very few, labelled fibers were also seen in the RN contralateral to the injection in normal kittens. By contrast, many labelled fibers were seen in the RN contralateral to the injection in lesioned animals. Many growth-cone like axonal endings were also observed. The abundant crossed corticorubral fibers seen in lesioned animals may be ascribed to the increase in the number of fibers crossing the midline towards the contralateral RN or they could be due to increased branching of pre-existing crossed fibers.

Afferent Pathways↗

Formation of new corticorubral synapses as a mechanism for classical conditioning in the cat.

An electron microscopic quantitative study of corticorubral synapses was performed in the cat which acquired classical conditioning. Conditioned stimulus was applied to the cerebral peduncle and the unconditioned stimulus was an electrical shock to the forelimb skin. The proportion of corticorubral synapses contacting with somata and proximal dendrite was increased after conditioning. It was suggested that collateral sprouting and the formation of new synapses underlie classical conditioning.

Animals↗

Dendritic and somatic appendages of identified rubrospinal neurons of the cat.

Giant neurons of the red nucleus of the cat were stained intracellularly with horseradish peroxidase and examined using light microscopy, electron microscopy of thin sections, and high voltage electron microscopy of thick sections (2-5 microns). Special attention was paid to the arrangement of dendritic spines and other appendages relative to the distribution of synaptic contacts from known sources. In the region of the neuron known to receive synaptic contacts from the nucleus interpositus of the cerebellum (soma and proximal 200-300 microns of dendrites), the dendrites were relatively unbranched, and free of long spines or complex appendages. The surface of the neurons in this region was covered with a dense layer of short thin appendages that invaginated or penetrated between the synaptic terminals that cover this part of the cells. The small spines received synapses of the types associated both with the cerebellar afferent fibers and with the local inhibitory interneurons. These same terminals made synaptic contacts directly onto the surface of the neurons and onto the lateral surfaces of the spines, suggesting that the spines may serve primarily to increase the available synaptic surface area. The more distal portion of the dendritic field, where cerebellar afferents do not make synaptic contacts, exhibited a dramatically different appearance. The dendrites were much more branched, and exhibited many and varied dendritic appendages. The appendages were of three general types. One was a large protrusion with a cup-shaped head that formed the principal postsynaptic component of a glomerular arrangement also involving an axon terminal and usually a presynaptic dendrite. A second was a long thin filiform process that usually occurred around the glomeruli. This appendage was occasionally postsynaptic. The third was a spherical appendage containing many lysosomal organelles resembling residual bodies. The glomerular dendritic protrusions were very common in the distal portion of the dendritic field, numbering at least 1000 per cell. At least some of the glomeruli are specialized for receipt of synaptic input from the corticorubral pathway, since lesions of sensorimotor cortex resulted in degeneration of the central synaptic terminal in some glomeruli on horseradish peroxidase-injected rubrospinal neurons. These specializations of dendritic structure may contribute to the differences in excitatory postsynaptic potential wave shape between cortical and cerebellar inputs, and they may play a role in the changes in the cortical excitatory postsynaptic potential that develop after lesions of cerebellar inputs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

DNA synthesis in Bloom's syndrome fibroblasts.

The relationship between relative rates of DNA synthesis and DNA content in Bloom's syndrome fibroblasts (BS cells) was investigated by flow cytometry. The cells were pulse labelled with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). The BrdU content and cellular DNA content of individual BS cells were simultaneously measured by flow cytometry in which the cells were double-stained by a FITC-conjugated anti BrdU monoclonal antibody (mAb) for the BrdU content (green) and by PI (propidium iodide) (red) for total DNA content. Their red fluorescence histograms were analysed by a microcomputer to evaluate the cell fractions of each S compartment. The BrdU uptake in the early S phase of BS cells was lower than that of normal cells (fibroblasts from skin of a normal human), whereas the uptake in the middle and late S phase was essentially the same as that of normal cells. The early S phase in BS cells accounted for over 50% of the S phase cells. These findings suggest that, in comparison with normal cells, the rate of DNA synthesis in the early S phase of BS cells is lower, but is identical to controls in the middle and late S phases.

Bloom Syndrome↗

Synaptic currents at interpositorubral and corticorubral excitatory synapses measured by a new iterative single-electrode voltage-clamp method.

A new iterative single-electrode voltage clamp method was applied to the measurement of synaptic currents in the red nucleus (RN) neuron of the cat. Voltage clamp was attained within 10 repetitions with great stability and the new algorithm was demonstrated to be superior to the original algorithm of iterative voltage clamp. With a conventional microelectrode, it was possible to measure the synaptic current with the time resolution of 50 microseconds. The synaptic currents evoked by stimulation of the contralateral interpositus nucleus (IP) had time-to-peak ranging from 200 to 540 microseconds and fitted well to alpha functions. Corticorubral (CR) synaptic current was also measured by making use of synaptic plasticity. The stimulation of the ipsilateral cerebral peduncle in cats with chronic lesion of the contralateral IP evoked fast rising EPSPs, as reported previously. The CR-EPSPs with times-to-peak less than 1 ms were subjected to voltage clamp. The CR synaptic currents had times-to-peak ranging from 350 to 880 microseconds. Since most of the interpositorubral (IR) synapses and a part of the CR synapses in IP-lesioned cats are situated on the somatic membrane of RN neurons and some of the CR synaptic currents were as rapid as the IR synaptic currents, the observed synaptic currents evoked by stimulation of the IP and those of the fast-rising CR-EPSPs were taken to originate from the synaptic membrane under space-clamp, i.e. soma. The present study provided additional evidence for the sprouting of the CR fibers as well as the time course of the synaptic current at the dendritic synapses remote from the soma, for the first time.

Animals↗

Sprouting of GABAergic synapses in the red nucleus after lesions of the nucleus interpositus in the cat.

An immunocytochemical study using anti-GAD serum was performed to examine the plastic changes of GABAergic inhibitory synapses in the red nucleus (RN) after lesions of the nucleus interpositus (IP) of the cat. Light-microscopic analyses revealed that 20-175 d after the unilateral lesion of the IP, somatic profiles of large neurons in the magnocellular RN contralateral to the lesion were more densely covered with GAD-immunoreactive puncta than those in the ipsilateral RN. Electron-microscopic analyses demonstrated that the GAD-immunoreactive puncta observed with the light microscope were synaptic terminals and that the number of GAD-immunoreactive synaptic terminals per unit length of somatic membrane of RN neurons was increased on the deafferented side. The GAD-immunoreactive terminals on somata of RN neurons made symmetric synaptic contacts with somatic membranes on both the deafferented and control sides. The number of immunoreactive synapses on somata of RN neurons was markedly increased on the deafferented side following IP lesion, whereas that of the unlabeled asymmetric synapses was decreased. These observations indicate that new GABAergic synapses were formed on somata of RN neurons after deafferentation from the IP.

Afferent Pathways↗

Morphological and electrophysiological study of sprouting of corticorubral fibers after lesions of the contralateral cerebrum in kitten.

The appearance of crossed corticorubral projections following ablations of the ipsilateral cortex is shown to result from the formation of new connections and is not due to the preservation of pre-existing bilateral connections. At least some of these crossed projections are collaterals of the pyramidal tract. Post-tetanic potentiation can be demonstrated both intra- and extracellularly following ipsilateral cerebral peduncle stimulation whereas no changes in excitatory postsynaptic potential amplitude are observed following contralateral cerebral peduncle stimulation.

Animals↗

Reorganization of corticorubral synapses following cross-innervation of flexor and extensor nerves of adult cat: a quantitative electron microscopic study.

A quantitative electron microscopic study of corticorubral synapses was performed in the red nucleus (RN) of adult cats to determine the morphological correlates for the changes in time course of corticorubral excitatory post-synaptic potentials, which occur following cross-innervation of forelimb extensor and flexor nerves. Corticorubral synaptic endings were identified by anterograde degeneration after lesions of the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex. Rubrospinal neurons innervating upper spinal segments were electrophysiologically identified and filled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). These cells were mainly situated in the dorsomedial part of RN. Electron micrographs of the degenerating corticorubral synaptic endings were taken in the region surrounding HRP-filled neurons and the diameter of the dendrites contacted by such terminals was measured. In the cross-innervated animals many degenerating terminals were found to synapse on dendrites with large diameter and the somata of neurons in RN. This is in contrast to the previous observations in normal cats, in which very few corticorubral synapses were found to synapse on proximal dendrites and somata of RN neurons. The diameter of HRP-filled neurons in cats which were cross-innervated was slightly smaller than those observed in normal animals. These results indicate that new corticorubral synapses were formed on proximal dendrites and somata of RN neurons as a consequence of cross-innervation.

Animals↗

Afterhyperpolarization in neurones of the red nucleus.

Afterhyperpolarization (AHP) following single or short trains of spikes in rubrospinal neurones (RN neurones) of the cat has been studied with intracellular recording techniques. The AHP amplitude was potential dependent; it increased with depolarization and decreased with hyperpolarization and had an extrapolated reversal potential about 20 mV below resting membrane potential. The AHP was associated with an increase in the membrane conductance and it was concluded that the AHP is primarily caused by an increase in membrane conductance to potassium ions. The time course of the conductance change underlying the AHP was measured with short current pulses and calculated from the AHP voltage. The AHP following a single spike was conditioned at different interspike intervals by a preceding spike (or several spikes). In many RN neurones the AHP (conductance) following a spike added approximately linear to that generated by a preceding spike. In most cells, however, the AHP following a spike was instead depressed by a preceding spike. The summation of AHPs increased progressively, while the depression appeared to be already maximal with one preceding spike. The depression was then approximately constant for interspike intervals less than the AHP duration. It will be shown in a following paper that these properties of the AHP are reflected in the behaviour of the repetitive discharge evoked by constant current pulses in the same neurones.

Action Potentials↗

Quantitative analysis of electrical properties of dendritic spines.

Several suggestions have been made with regard to the functional significance of dendritic spines in connection with synaptic plasticity. We have shown that for a constant synaptic current, when the synaptic resistance is large compared to the spine-stem resistance, a morphological change in the spine does not produce a marked change in the postsynaptic potential (PSP). When the synaptic resistance is comparable to the spine-stem impedance a morphological change in the spine can induce changes in the synaptic current and the PSP due to the so-called nonlinear effect to the synapse (Kawato and Tsukahara, 1983, 1984). Consequently, in a study of the electrical properties of dendritic spines the input impedance of the parent dendrite, the spinestalk conductance and the conductance change associated with synaptic activity must be considered. We quantitatively estimated all three factors. By comparing electrophysiological data with morphological data, we estimated the synaptic conductance which causes corticorubral EPSP. Its maximum amplitude was 43 nS with a time-to-peak value of 0.3 ms. With this value, the effects of the spine were examined using an improved algorithm based on that of Butz and Cowan (1974). It uses a three-dimensional morphology of the rubrospinal (RS) neurons, which was reconstructed from serial sections containing HRP-filled RS cells. As the spine shortens, the amplitude of the EPSP becomes considerably larger, but its time-to-peak value does not markedly change. Moreover, if unitary EPSP in the RS cell is produced by the activation of several synaptic terminals a morphological change of the spine has a smaller effect on the EPSPs.

Animals↗

GABAergic intrinsic interneurons in the red nucleus of the cat demonstrated with combined immunocytochemistry and anterograde degeneration methods.

The presence of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), the enzyme synthesizing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), was investigated in the red nucleus by an immunocytochemical method. The ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex was ablated prior to the immunocytochemical procedures to examine whether cortical neurons make synaptic contacts with GAD-immunoreactive neurons. Small GAD-immunoreactive neurons with a major diameter of 16.1 +/- 3.2 micron (mean +/- S.D.) were observed in the red nucleus under both light and electron microscopy. They were uniformly distributed throughout the nucleus. Degenerating axon terminals were found making synaptic contact with GAD-immunoreactive neurons in the red nucleus, which suggests that there is an input from the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex to these neurons. This observation, along with our previous findings that GABAergic axon terminals make synaptic contact with the rubrospinal neurons, provides anatomical evidence for the presence of intrinsic GABAergic interneurons which mediate cortical inhibition in cat rubrospinal neurons.

Animals↗

Properties of cerebello-precerebellar reverberating circuits.

Intracellular recordings were made from neurons of the red nucleus (RN) in cats where the cerebellar cortical effects were removed by chronic ablation of the intermediate part of the anterior lobe of the cerebellum. A prolonged depolarization could be elicited by stimulating the nucleus interpositus (IP) of the cerebellum, nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (NRTP) and the nucleus reticularis paramedianus (PMRN). This prolonged depolarization was abolished after cooling the inferior and middle cerebellar peduncles and persisted after ablation of the cerebral sensorimotor cortex. The prolonged depolarization was also recorded intracellularly from IP neurons. It was concluded that the prolonged depolarization set up in RN neurons is due to the repetitive discharges of IP neurons which produces tonic bombardment onto RN cells. The mechanisms of the repetitive discharges of IP neurons are considered to be due to impulse reverberation via the IP. The dynamic properties of the reverberating circuits were characterized by regenerative behavior. Above and below threshold, there were two states, the excited state where many constituent neurons were active, and the resting state where all neurons were inactive. It was found that cats with chronically stimulated cerebral peduncle (CP), and tested in an acute experiment, showed sometimes effective for inducing the prolonged depolarization and repetitive discharges of RN neurons by stimulation of IP. The prolonged depolarization thus produced could be reversibly abolished by cooling the middle and inferior cerebellar peduncles. The possible constituent neurons of the reverberating circuits were investigated in light of previous physiological investigations of stimulating the NRTP, PMRN, nucleus reticularis lateralis (LRN), nucleus olivaris inferior (IO) and recording EPSPs in RN cells. The RN cells receive axon reflex activation from NRTP and PMRN, and disynaptic excitation from NRTP, PMRN, LRN and IO. Based on these and other available data, the components of the cerebello-precerebellar reverberating circuits are discussed.

Animals↗

Immunocytochemical demonstration of GABAergic synapses on identified rubrospinal neurons.

GABAergic synapses on rubrospinal neurons were demonstrated with immunocytochemistry combined with intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase. Sections containing red nucleus neurons were processed for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) immunohistochemistry. GAD-immunoreactive synaptic endings formed synaptic contacts with somata and dendrites of red nucleus neurons and identified rubrospinal neurons. Our observation provides further evidence that GABA acts as an inhibitory transmitter mediating cortically evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in red nucleus neurons.

Animals↗