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Biomedical subjects

S O Ebbesson

Publications and source records attributed to S O Ebbesson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Changes in ligand binding to GABAA receptor sites in pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus) brain during spawning migration and "aging".

When several years old, pacific salmon return to the site of birth, to spawn. At this time, a rapid aging process begins and the fish die within a few weeks after reproducing. Age-related changes of high and low affinity GABA binding sites were studied in salmon brains at three different phases of the spawning migration, i.e. shortly after returning to the natal stream, at the time of spawning, and thereafter. High affinity GABA binding slightly increased while the fish deteriorated. The low affinity component showed a remarkable decrease in density and a concomitant increase in affinity during this final episode of salmon life.

Aging↗

Ontogeny of the olfacto-retinalis projection in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).

Filling of nucleus olfacto-retinalis neurons by cobaltous lysine injections into one eye of coho salmon of different ages revealed that the terminal nerve projection to the retina is established when the fish leave their freshwater environment. At this time salmons go through a metamorphosis termed "smoltification." FMRF-amide-like immunoreactive neurons in the nucleus olfacto-retinalis already exist in pre-smolts before the retino-petal projection is established. Thus, for the first time in any vertebrate, a projection of the terminal nerve is shown to develop during an advanced ontogenetic state.

Animals↗

Distribution of FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity in the brain, retina and nervus terminalis of the sockeye salmon parr, Oncorhynchus nerka.

Neurons displaying FMRFamide(Phe - Met - Arg - Phe - NH2)-like immunoreactivity have recently been implicated in neural plasticity in salmon. We now extend these findings by describing the extent of the FMRF-like immunoreactive (FMRF-IR) system in the brain, retina and olfactory system of sockeye salmon parr using the indirect peroxidase anti-peroxidase technique. FMRF-IR perikarya were found in the periventricular hypothalamus, mesencephalic laminar nucleus, nucleus nervi terminalis and retina (presumed amacrine cells), and along the olfactory nerves. FMRF-IR fibers were distributed throughout the brain with highest densities in the ventral area of the telencephalon, in the medial forebrain bundle, and at the borders between layers III/IV and IV/V in the optic tectum. High densities of immunoreactive fibers were also observed in the area around the torus semicircularis, in the medial hypothalamus, median raphe, ventromedial tegmentum, and central gray. In the retina, immunopositive fibers were localized to the inner plexiform layer, but several fiber elements were also found in the outer plexiform layer. The olfactory system displayed FMRF-IR fibers in the epithelium and along the olfactory nerves. These findings differ from those reported in other species as follows: (i) FMRF-IR cells in the retina have not previously been reported in teleosts; (ii) the presence of FMRF-IR fibers in the outer plexiform layer of the retina is a new finding for any species; (iii) the occurrence of immunopositive cells in the mesencephalic laminar nucleus has to our knowledge not been demonstrated previously.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Tectal afferents in Rana pipiens. A reassessment questioning the comparability of HRP-results.

Studying afferents to the optic tectum in Rana pipiens by means of retrograde HRP transport, results were obtained, that cast doubt on the reliability of this neuronal tract tracing technique. The tectum was found to receive afferents from e.g. lateral mesencephalic tegmentum, torus semicircularis, contralateral large-celled pretectal nucleus, and ipsilateral thalamic nuclei, which have not previously been demonstrated. In addition, the data obtained lack evidence of projections reported earlier. We suggest, that neuronal projections may be subject to hormone and/or activity dependent changes, that alter the probability of accumulating sufficient amounts of the tracer to become labeled.

Animals↗

Retino-petal neurons in the diencephalon of juvenile Lobotes surinamensis (teleostei).

Diencephalic retino-petal neurons in juvenile specimens of the teleost Lobotes surinamensis are not segregated into subpopulations that form discrete nuclei. A continuous band of such cells extends from the rostral to the caudal diencephalon. It includes some locations previously described as retino-petal nuclei in other teleosts. The vast majority of diencephalic retino-petal cells only projects to the contralateral eye in Lobotes.

Animals↗

Retinopetal cells exist in the optic tectum of steelhead trout.

The existence of retinopetal cells in the tectum of various teleost fishes as been claimed by several authors. Others, however, have been unable to verify such observations and attribute the findings of retrogradely labelled tectal cells to methodological problems. In this study cobalt-lysine and HRP have been used as neuronal tracers. Evidence is provided for the presence of retinopetal cells in the tectum of steelhead trout. Dendritic arborizations of some of the cells are extremely elaborate. In salmon no such findings were made.

Animals↗

FMRFamide-like immunoreactive neurons of the nervus terminalis of teleosts innervate both retina and pineal organ.

The tetrapeptide FMRFamide (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2) was first isolated from molluscan ganglia. Subsequently, it has become clear that vertebrate brains also contain endogenous FMRFamide-like substances. In teleosts, the neurons of the nervus terminalis contain an FMRFamide-like substance, and provide a direct innervation to the retina (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 81 [1984] 940-944). Here we report the presence of FMRFamide-immunoreactive axonal bundles in the pineal organ of Coho salmon and three-spined sticklebacks. The largest numbers of axons were observed proximal to the brain, in the pineal stalk, while the distal part of the pineal organ contained only few axons. No FMRFamide-like-immunoreactive (IR) cell bodies were observed in the pineal organ. In adult fish it was not possible to determine the origin of these axons, due to the large numbers of FMRFamide-like IR axons in the teleost brain. However, by following the development of FMRFamide-like IR neurons in the embryonic and larval stickleback brain, it was possible to conclude that, at least in newly hatched fish, FMRFamide-like IR axons that originate in the nucleus nervus terminalis reach the pineal organ. Thus, it seems there is a direct connection between a specialized part of the chemosensory system and both the retina and the pineal organ in teleost fish.

Aging↗

The left habenular nucleus contains a discrete serotonin-immunoreactive subnucleus in the coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).

By use of antibodies against serotonin, a discrete subnucleus of putatively serotoninergic neurons was observed in the dorsal subdivision of the left habenular nucleus in the brain of the coho salmon. The subnucleus was observed in salmon of different life-stages: in fingerlings, during smolt transformation, after smolt transformation (in seawater), and after spawning. This finding further emphasizes the close relationship between the pineal organ and the habenular nuclei-not only in terms of topographical proximity but also in terms of cytological similarities: cells of the habenular nucleus and the pineal complex have previously been shown to be immunoreactive also with antibodies directed against retinal phototransduction proteins. It also underlines the asymmetric organization of the epithalamic region.

Animals↗

The use of cryostat microtomy in a simplified Golgi method for staining vertebrate neurons.

The use of cryostat and cryoprotective measures for processing Golgi impregnated brain tissue has shortened and simplified the method without loss of quality. The procedure contains the following steps: (1) the animal is perfused with phosphate-buffered paraformaldehyde and the brain removed for storage in the fixative; (2) the brain is rinsed in buffer, cut into 3- to 6-mm-thick blocks and placed in Ramon-Moliner's impregnation solution for 2-4 weeks; (3) the brain tissue is cryoprotected by soaking in 30% sugar for 24 h and then frozen and cut on a cryostat, the sections, being collected directly on slides; and (4) the mounted sections are then alkalized, fixed, rinsed, counterstained and rinsed again before dehydration, clearing and coverslipping.

Animals↗

Retinal projections in sockeye salmon smolts (Oncorhynchus nerka).

The retinal projections in 2-year-old salmon smolt (Oncorhynchus nerka) are significantly different from those observed in other teleosts examined to date in that the projections are more extensive. Very noticeable are extensive projections to most of the dorsal thalamus, to all layers of the optic tectum, and into the periaqueductal gray of the torus semicircularis. The salmon smolt has bilateral retinal projections to the diencephalon and pretectum. A small retinal projection to the lateral habenular nucleus has not been described previously. Although these findings suggest striking differences in retinal projections among teleosts, this variation may relate to age differences since the previously studied teleosts were adults.

Animals↗

Double labeling of neural circuits using horseradish peroxidase and cobalt.

This describes for the first time a non-fluorescent method for studying the connectional interrelationship of two neuronal systems in the same histological sections in which the systems are stained in two different colors (blue and brown). Since HRP and cobaltous-lysine are transported in both anterograde and retrograde directions, it is possible to manipulate the experiments to determine, for example, how the terminal fields of two systems overlap in a given neuropil, or cell aggregate, or how the projections of one system relate to retrogradely stained neurons of another system. The simple staining of HRP and cobalt is accomplished on cryostat sections and involves the combined technology of two previously published methods. The results described here are limited to a comparison of the overlap or lack of overlap of inputs to the thalamus from the two eyes in Xenopus, but the method has also proven useful in similar studies on Ambystoma tigrinum and Esox niger.

Ambystoma↗

Some primary olfactory axons project to the contralateral olfactory bulb in Xenopus laevis.

Cobaltous lysine and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were used to trace primary olfactory axons to their terminations. The tracers were taken up in the olfactory mucosa and transported to the olfactory bulb. The results suggest that either HRP or cobaltous-lysine methods are useful and simple tools for studying such connections. In addition to the ipsilateral projection, we report here for the first time a projection to the medial part of the contralateral olfactory bulb. The overlaps of ipsi- and contralateral inputs to the medial bulb provide further evidence that its functions in frogs may be different from the lateral part, because other connections differ as well.

Animals↗

Axosomatic retinal projection to deep tectal neurons and retinopetal neurons in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides lacepede).

Retinal connections were studied in largemouth bass with a cobalt-lysine method. Retinopetal neurons were identified in the area ventralis pars ventralis of the telencephalon. The retinofugal pathways are the same as reported earlier, except for a massive projection to one layer of cells in the striatum griseum periventriculare of the optic tectum. Such a projection has not previously been reported in any vertebrate.

Animals↗

Eye movements evoked from telencephalic stimulations in the piranha (Serrasalmus nattereri).

The telencephalon of spinally transsected, unanesthetized piranhas was systematically stimulated with microelectrodes to scan for eye movement inducing (EMI) sites which were then identified by histological means. EMI sites were found clustered in several distinct central and medial telencephalic areas. Various types of eye movements were evoked from these sites often in combination with movements of the jaw, gills and pectoral fins. It is concluded that eye movements evoked from the telencephalon may be mediated by the optic tectum.

Animals↗

A simplified cobalt-lysine method for tracing axon trajectories in the central nervous system of vertebrates.

The cobalt-lysine method for tract tracing in the vertebrate CNS has been shortened and simplified to the following steps: (1) the cobalt-lysine is applied to the nerve or tract being studied; (2) the animal is perfused 1-2 days later by the following sequence of solutions: (a) phosphate-buffered ammonium sulfide, (b) phosphate buffer alone and (c) phosphate-buffered glutaraldehyde; (3) the brain is exposed to the fixative overnight and left in 30% sugar another night; (4) the brain is then frozen and cut on a cryostat; the sections being collected directly on slides; (5) the mounted sections are then put in an intensification solution before dehydration, clearing and coverslipping.

Ambystoma↗

Central connections of the olfactory bulb in the goldfish, Carassius auratus.

The central connections of the goldfish olfactory bulb were studied with the use of horseradish peroxidase methods. The olfactory bulb projects bilaterally to ventral and dorsolateral areas of the telencephalon; further targets include the nucleus praeopticus periventricularis and a caudal olfactory nucleus near the nucleus posterior tuberis in the diencephalon, bilaterally. The contralateral bulb and the anterior commissure also receive an input from the olfactory bulb. Contralateral projections cross in rostral and caudal portions of the anterior commissure and in the habenular commissure. Retrogradely labeled neurons are found in the contralateral bulb and in three nuclei in the telencephalon bilaterally; the neurons projecting to the olfactory bulb are far more numerous on the ipsilateral side than in the contralateral hemisphere. Afferents to the olfactory bulb are found to run almost entirely through the lateral part of the medial olfactory tract, while the bulb efferents are mediated by the medial part of the medial olfactory tract and the lateral olfactory tract. Selective tracing of olfactory sub-tracts reveals different pathways and targets of the three major tract components. Reciprocal connections between olfactory bulb and posterior terminal field suggest a laminated structure in the dorsolateral telencephalon.

Afferent Pathways↗