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PubMed1999

POU domain factor Brn-3b is essential for retinal ganglion cell differentiation and survival but not for initial cell fate specification.

While the mammalian retina is well understood at the anatomical and physiological levels, little is known about the mechanisms that give rise to the retina's highly ordered pattern or its diverse neuronal cell types. Previous investigations have shown that gene disruption of the POU-IV class transcription factor Brn-3b (Brn-3.2) resulted in the loss of most retinal ganglion cells in retinas of postnatal mice. Here, we used lacZ and human placental alkaline phosphatase genes knocked into the brn-3b locus to follow the fate of brn-3b-mutant cells in the developing retina. We found that Brn-3b was not required for the initial commitment of retinal ganglion cell fate or for the migration of ganglion cells to the ganglion cell layer. However, Brn-3b was essential for the normal differentiation of retinal ganglion cells; without it, the cells underwent enhanced apoptosis. Retinal ganglion cells lacking brn-3b extended processes at the appropriate time in development, but these processes were disorganized, resulting in a thinner optic nerve. Explanted retinas from brn-3b-null embryos also extended processes when cultured in vitro, but the processes were shorter and less bundled than in wild-type retinas. Ultrastructural and marker analyses showed that the processes of mutant ganglion cells had dendritic rather than axonal features, suggesting that mutant cells formed dendrites in place of axons. These results suggest that Brn-3b regulates the activity of genes whose products play essential roles in the formation of retinal ganglion cell axons.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1993

A qualitative and quantitative study of substance P immuno-cytochemistry of the trigeminal ganglion in the monkey.

The immunoreactivity of substance P(SP) in the monkey trigeminal ganglion was examined and the distribution of immunoreactive cells determined. The monkey trigeminal ganglion is composed of clusters of sensory cells arranged in cords parallel to the long axis of the nerve fibres. The cells have prominent nuclei and are surrounded by satellite cells. Abundant organelles are randomly distributed throughout the cytoplasm. A striking feature of the ganglion was the presence of some axon-like prolifes containing mainly dense-cored vesicles and some agranular vesicles. Between 16 and 32% of the ganglion cells displayed SP-immunoreactivity. Most of the SP-IR cells were unipolar, small to medium-sized ganglion cells and they had no specific pattern of distribution. The staining of the SP-IR cells varied considerably, ranging from weak or moderate to heavy staining, although the majority of them were moderately stained. Immuno-electron microscopy showed that the SP-IR products were distributed throughout the soma of ganglion cells and not associated with any particular organelles or inclusions. The reaction products were also found in both myelinated and unmyelinated fibres between the ganglion cells. Another remarkable feature of the trigeminal ganglion was the occurrence of some SP-IR nerve fibres forming a rich "glomerular" network of pericellular arborizations around some of the SP-negative cells. Ultrastructural study showed the presence of some SP-IR nerve terminals in close approximation to some SP-negative cells, but there were no synaptic contacts. The relative frequency of the SP-IR pericellular arborizations paralleled the frequency of all the SP-IR cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Quantitative analysis of GABA-immunoreactive synapses in the inner plexiform layer of the Bufo marinus retina: identification of direct output to ganglion cells and contacts with dopaminergic amacrine cells.

We have recently reported that about 50% of amacrine cells and some of the bipolar and ganglion cells are GABA-immunoreactive in the retina of Bufo marinus. Synapses formed by these elements in the inner plexiform layer were studied. GABA-immunoreactive amacrine cell processes were found most frequently in synaptic contact with non-immunoreactive amacrine cells. Double-label experiments showed that some of these non-GABA-immunoreactive elements contain tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity. Another source of input to the GABA-immunoreactive amacrine cells were the bipolar cells; some of which were GABA-immunoreactive. GABA-immunoreactive amacrine cells synapsed also onto bipolar cell terminals, and ganglion cell dendrites that were identified by the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase from the optic nerve. Synapses between GABA-immunoreactive amacrine cells and bipolar and ganglion cells were non-uniformly distributed in the inner plexiform layer. Synaptic contacts with bipolar cells were more frequent in the OFF-sublamina, and those with ganglion cell dendrites in the ON-sublamina. These results demonstrate that GABA-immunoreactive amacrine cells (1) preferentially synapse with OFF-responding bipolar and ON-centre ganglion cells in the through-pathway, (2) synapse with tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive amacrine cells in both the OFF- and ON-sublaminae, and (3) synapse directly with GABA-immunoreactive ganglion cells. The synapses between GABA-immunoreactive amacrine and GABA-immunoreactive ganglion cells may inhibit the centrally projecting inhibitory ganglion cells, causing disinhibition in the visual centres.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Characterization of the sprouting response of axon-like processes from retinal ganglion cells after axotomy in adult hamsters: a model using intravitreal implantation of a peripheral nerve.

Peripheral nerves provide a favourable environment for damaged CNS axons to sprout and regenerate. It has also been demonstrated that retinal ganglion cells respond to a peripheral nerve segment grafted to the retina by emitting axon-like processes from the somatodendritic compartment into the graft. The factors influencing the pattern of sprouting of axotomized retinal ganglion cells were explored in this study by implanting a short segment of peripheral nerve, which did not come into contact with the retina, into the vitreous body of an eye whose optic nerve was concurrently crushed. Silver staining was used to assess the morphology of the retinal ganglion cells which underwent sprouting. Some retinal ganglion cells were induced to sprout axon-like processes; these emerged primarily from dendrites and less frequently from the soma or intraretinal axon. Implantation of a nonviable graft (freeze-thawed) elicited only minimal sprouting. These results suggest that diffusible factors secreted by cells in the graft are a possible stimulus to sprouting in axotomized retinal ganglion cells. Examination of the pattern of dendritic sprouting indicates that sprouting was most intense (in terms of number of sprouts per cell) at early times post-axotomy. Moreover, a differential pattern of development of sprouts arising from individual primary dendrites of the same cell was observed; sprouts tend to arise from all primary dendrites initially but as the post-axotomy time increased, retraction of sprouts from some primary dendrites occurred. Concomitant with this retraction, however, there was an increase in the number of sprouts on those primary dendrites which were still in the active phase of sprouting. Selective stabilization of sprouts by extrinsic factors may account for this phenomenon. Changes in the area and outline (irregularity) of the somata of retinal ganglion cells with sprouts from two weeks to two months after optic nerve crush could be correlated temporally with the intensity of sprouting from the dendritic tree, suggesting that during sprouting, intrinsic mechanisms coordinate the responses of different cellular compartments. In contrast to extensive ectopic sprouting of axotomized retinal ganglion cells in the presence of an intravitreal graft, when a long peripheral nerve segment is grafted to the cut optic nerve, there is extensive axonal regeneration into the graft from retinal ganglion cells, most of which did not exhibit ectopic sprouting. Thus, a hierarchy of sprouting sites within a neuron seems to exist, with the damaged axonal tip being the most favoured site, followed by the dendrites, and then the intraretinal axon.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Qualitative and quantitative ultrastructural observations on retinal ganglion cell layer of rat after intraorbital optic nerve crush.

Rat retinal ganglion cell layer (GCL) was examined ultrastructurally 1-180 days after intraorbital crushing of one optic nerve. It was confirmed quantitatively that axotomized ganglion cells lost cisternal membranes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and showed disintegration of Nissl bodies and ribosomal rosettes 3 days postoperatively. Between 60 and 180 days after neurotomy there was partial reversion of the RER towards normal. At postoperative intervals of 14-60 days, chromatin aggregation became conspicuous and some nuclei were prominently furrowed and contained electron-dense inclusions. Concurrently, profiles of dead ganglion cells were encountered. Mean mitochondrial area increased in axotomized neurons but mitochondrial density declined, while the Golgi apparatus, lamellar specializations of the RER and the size of nuclei did not change significantly. Cytoplasmic atrophy was profound, however. Small nerve cells of the GCL appeared morphologically distinct from ganglion cells and did not undergo appreciable alteration. A decline in neuronal density, approximating 35%, occurred between the third and seventh postoperative day and progressed slowly thereafter. Neuronal density was 32% of normal 180 days postoperatively. A temporary increase in glial density 3-28 days after operation was due to microglial hyperplasia. Müller cell and astrocytic processes hypertrophied, infiltrated nerve fibre bundles, and surrounded and intruded into neuronal somata. Bundles of unmyelinated small axons, invested by astrocytes and basal lamina, were present within the necrotic cavity of the lesioned nerve 28-90 days postoperatively and had cytologic features of regenerative axonal sprouts. We conclude that intraorbital optic nerve crush is followed by a noteworthy degree of regenerative axonal sprouting which occurs and persists against a background of slow but relentless decline in the retinal ganglion cell population. This slow decline follows a rapidly-sustained loss of approximately one-third of the axotomized retinal ganglion cells during the first postoperative week. Intraorbital, as opposed to intracranial, injury of the optic nerve appears, paradoxically, to induce both a greater degree of ganglion cell death and a greater amount of regenerative axonal sprouting. Cytologic changes in axotomized retinal ganglion cells resemble those described for other populations of mammalian intrinsic neurons subjected to like injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Factors affecting the survival of cat retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury.

After partial transection of one optic nerve in adult cats the majority of beta retinal ganglion cells degenerate and die 1 week after axotomy, whilst other cell classes degenerate slowly and survive for a long period after the lesion. We have investigated the effects of intravitreal and intraperitoneal injections of MK-801, a NMDA-glutamate receptor antagonist, on the early degeneration of retinal ganglion cells after partial optic nerve section. Control animals received saline intravitreal injections. Retinal flat mounts were retrogradely labelled with horseradish peroxidase and counterstained with Cresyl Violet. We evaluated the ganglion cell loss in the three experimental groups 1 week after lesion and compared them with normal uninjured controls and injured untreated retinae. In untreated retinae 49% of ganglion cells die 1 week after the lesion. Systemic MK-801 or saline prolonged survival of 41% of retinal ganglion cells that would die without treatment. Intravitreal MK-801 or saline prolonged survival of 71% of retinal ganglion cells that would die without treatment, but the results of saline administration had a larger range of variability. In untreated retinae many pyknotic cells were observed. They decreased in number after systemic MK-801 treatment and in some retinae treated with intravitreal injections of saline solution. There were no pyknotic cells after local, intravitreal MK-801 treatment. These results support the hypothesis that NMDA-receptor mediated neurotoxicity plays an important role in the early retinal ganglion cell death after retrobulbar axotomy. They also support the existence of an endogenous source of neurotrophins whose release is triggered by eyeball injury. We conclude that the early death of beta retinal ganglion cells after axotomy occurs by a mechanism that can be controlled by neurotrophins and antagonists to NMDA-glutamate receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Cortisol promotes survival and regeneration of axotomised retinal ganglion cells and enhances effects of aurintricarboxylic acid.

BACKGROUND: Neuroprotection is essential for repair processes after a traumatic insult in the central nervous system. We have demonstrated previously significant neuroprotective properties of the anti-apoptotic drug aurintricarboxylic acid in the model of axotomised retinal ganglion cells. Glucocorticoids are widely used to treat injuries of the nervous system. Due to the anti-inflammatory and microglia-inhibiting properties of glucocorticoids, we studied the neuroprotective effects of intravitreally administered cortisol after an optic nerve cut. METHODS: Ninety-eight adult Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The optic nerve was cut intra-orbitally. Either vehicle or compound solution was injected intravitreally. Fluorescent dye was put onto the optic nerve stump to label retinal ganglion cells retrogradely. Retinal whole mounts were prepared 2 weeks after axotomy, and surviving retinal ganglion cells were counted. RESULTS: Two weeks after axotomy, up to 50+/-7% of all retinal ganglion cells survived if cortisol was injected into the eye compared with 17+/-5% survival if only vehicle solution was injected. The neuroprotective effects of aurintricarboxylic acid (43+/-5% survival) could be further enhanced if combined with cortisol (up to 61+/-5% survival). Regeneration of cut retinal ganglion cell axons into a peripheral nerve graft could also be enhanced by an intravitreal injection of cortisol (169+/-42 regenerating retinal ganglion cells per mm2 vs. 73+/-12 cells per mm2 after vehicle injection). The increase was not as high as with aurintricarboxylic acid (192+/-40 cells per mm2), although more retinal ganglion cells survived with cortisol. This indicates that neuronal survival alone is not sufficient for subsequent axonal regeneration. Nevertheless, regeneration could be markedly increased if aurintricarboxylic acid and cortisol were combined (308+/-72 cells per mm2). CONCLUSIONS: Whereas aurintricarboxylic acid seems to act directly on lesioned retinal ganglion cells, cortisol seems to act on the glial environment, as indicated by microglial cell morphology and enhanced glial fibrillary acidic protein expression. The results show that both neuroprotection and regeneration can be enhanced by the combination of two simple compounds acting on different sites.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The survival of chick retinal ganglion cells in response to brain-derived neurotrophic factor depends on their embryonic age.

The survival effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on the ganglion cells of the chick retina were studied in vitro at different embryonic ages. We found these effects to be strongly age-dependent: at E5, when the first ganglion cell axons have crossed the optic chiasm, but not yet reached the tectum, ganglion cells survived on a laminin substrate irrespective of the presence or absence of BDNF. At E6, when the axons of the first-generated ganglion cells reached the rostral pole of the tectum, the ganglion cells began to show a dependency on BDNF for survival, but the majority of them were alive after 2 days in vitro in the absence of BDNF. With increasing age, the BDNF dependency for survival increased, and at E11, the majority of the ganglion cells plated were dependent on BDNF for survival. It is at this age that the maximal number of axons can be found in vivo in the optic nerve, the subsequent elimination of ganglion cells and their axons resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of them over the next few days. Taken together, these data indicate that retinal ganglion cells depend on BDNF for survival only when their axons have reached their target in vivo. This situation is reminiscent of that described in the peripheral nervous system for the nerve growth factor responsiveness of mouse trigeminal sensory neurons during the period of innervation of their target.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

Displaced amacrine and ganglion cells in the newt retina.

The inner nuclear layer and ganglion cell layer of the newt retina contain taurine- and GABA-accumulating cells which are located immediately adjacent to the inner plexiform layer. Transport studies with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) indicate the presence of displaced ganglion cells within the inner nuclear layer of the retina. These are more numerous at the periphery of the retina and constitute about 2.5% of the retinal ganglion cells. Autoradiography, combined with HRP-transport studies, indicate that the taurine-accumulating cells in the ganglion cell layer of the newt retina are not 'true' ganglion cells, but may be displaced amacrine cells. Counts of axons in the optic nerve compared with cell bodies in the ganglion cell layer, demonstrate that only 50-60% of the cells in the ganglion cell layer of the newt retina are truly ganglion cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Neuronal projections to the guinea pig stellate ganglion investigated by retrograde tracing.

Previous electrophysiological studies have revealed a peripheral sensory input to the stellate ganglion which does not originate from the dorsal root ganglia. The present retrograde tracing study aimed at evaluating whether the parent cell bodies are located in the periphery, i.e. in mediastinal ganglia. Following injection of Fast blue or wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase into the right stellate ganglion of the guinea pig, retrogradely labelled cell bodies were observed in the intermediolateral and intercalated nuclei of the spinal cord as well as in dorsal root ganglia at segmental levels C8 to T6. In another case, the stellate ganglion was resected and replaced by a sponge soaked with 10 microliters of Fast blue. Labelling of preganglionic and sensory neurons parallelled that obtained by tracer injections. In neither case, however, were retrogradely labelled neurons found within or around the thoracic viscera (thymus, trachea, bronchi, esophagus, heart, great vessels of upper mediastinum) when these were cut serially en bloc. Controls performed by injection of Fast blue into the inferior mesenteric ganglion and investigation of the distal colon showed that our experimental protocol was able to visualize a peripheral projection towards a sympathetic ganglion--in this case from myenteric ganglia to the inferior mesenteric ganglion. We conclude that, in contrast to the circuitry connecting prevertebral sympathetic ganglia with the gut, the neuronal cell bodies providing peripheral sensory input from thoracic viscera to the right stellate ganglion most likely are not located within the mediastinal ganglia. Instead, they may reside within the stellate ganglion itself.

Amidines↗
PubMed1986

Numbers of axons in the optic nerve and of retinal ganglion cells during development in the marsupial Setonix brachyurus.

Numbers of axons during postnatal development in the optic nerve of the marsupial Setonix brachyurus were estimated from electron micrographs. Between 14 and 45 days axon totals rose 10-fold from 95,000 to 961,000. Thereafter, counts decreased gradually by almost 5-fold stabilising at the adult level of 180,000-224,000 between 130-150 days. Myelinated axons were first seen at 85 days and constituted 76% of all axons by 150 days, compared to almost 100% in the adult. At comparable stages of development, estimates of cell number in the ganglion cell layer were made from sectioned and whole-mounted retinae. Ganglion cells, labelled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) injected into the optic tract and visual brain centres, reached a maximum of 304,000 by 50 days. This value was only one-third higher than the adult ganglion cell estimate of 202,000, to which counts fell by 70 days. Such a fall of ca. 100,000 ganglion cells was matched by a reduction from 443,000 to 361,000 in the total number of cells in the retinal ganglion cell layer, that is, cells labelled by HRP plus those which remained unlabelled. Thus, during development axon counts exceeded adult values 4-fold whereas ganglion cell totals were only one-third higher than the mature value. The shortfall of ganglion cells to optic axons indicates that during development the transiently high axon number cannot be explained by a correspondingly raised count of ganglion cells. It is therefore necessary to hypothesise a substantial fibre population which temporarily projects into the nerve from either the brain or the opposite eye. Alternatively, optic axons may branch extensively during development with subsequent loss of collaterals.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1980

Carotid-cavernous fistula following percutaneous trigeminal ganglion approach.

A case of carotid-cavernous fistula following percutaneous trigeminal ganglion approach is presented. The case was treated by a combination of trapping and embolisation of the carotid artery. Percutaneous approach to the trigeminal ganglion via the foramen ovale was described by Taptas (1911) and Hartel (1914). Since then this procedure has been used in large series, for the injection of alcohol (Harris, 1940), electrocoagulation (Kirschner, 1942) or the injection hot water (Jeager, 1957) to the trigeminal ganglion for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. In 1965 White and Sweet used the percutaneous trigeminal ganglion approach for the radio-frequency (R.F.) thermocoagulation of the trigeminal ganglion. This procedure is a simple and safe method. It has been used in large series in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. In our department we have performed 252 R.F. thermocoagulation of the gasserion ganglion in 228 patients since 1975. In 252 interventions using the percutaneous trigeminal ganglion approach, via the foramen ovale, we observed only one carotid-cavernous fistula following the procedure. This is the second report in the literature of a carotid-cavernous fistula following the percutaneous trigeminal ganglion approach.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Retinal ganglion cells that project to the superior colliculus and pretectum in the macaque monkey.

Horseradish peroxidase was injected into the superior colliculus or pretectum or both in order to label, by retrograde axoplasmic transport, the retinal ganglion whose cells axons innervate the dorsal midbrain. The dendrites of ganglion cells were sufficiently well-labelled to reveal their overall morphological characteristics. It was therefore possible to compare the number and form of ganglion cells projecting to the midbrain with the total population of ganglion cells as revealed by optic nerve injections, and with ganglion cells labelled by injections in the lateral geniculate nucleus. We found that not more than 10% of all retinal ganglion cells project to the superior colliculus in the macaque monkey. This percentage varies little over the retina, being about 6% of all ganglion cells near the fovea and increasing slightly with eccentricity. The superior colliculus does not receive a projection from P beta cells and only a few P alpha cells terminate there. The majority of cells which project to the superior colliculus have a small- to medium-sized cell body and sparsely branched dendritic tree. We have called them P gamma and P epsilon cells by analogy with the gamma cells and epsilon cells in the cat's retina. Anatomically the P gamma and P epsilon cells are heterogeneous, which would be consistent with the physiological heterogeneity found for ganglion cells which project to the midbrain in monkeys.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Trophic support of the developing cochleovestibular ganglion by its peripheral target in vitro does not depend on neuronal cell division.

A trophic effect on the development of the cochleovestibular ganglion in the presence of its synaptic target tissue, the embryonic otocyst, has been shown in organ cultures. The basis for this trophic effect could be increased neuronal proliferation or enhanced postmitotic survival and differentiation. In order to determine if the trophic effect influenced neuronal proliferation, organ cultures of combined otocyst and cochleovestibular ganglion (embryonic stages 23-24) were grown 14 days in vitro in the continuous presence of [3H]thymidine. Serial sections of the explants made at each stage were assayed for autoradiographic labeling of cell nuclei and for numbers of cochleovestibular ganglion neurons. Explants were well developed morphologically and contained numbers of ganglionic neurons within the same range as previously reported. Many other well differentiated cell types were also present, including hair cells, supporting cells, other epithelial cells, cartilage, connective tissue, and perineuronal satellite cells. All of these non-neuronal cell types had undergone DNA synthesis in vitro, as evidenced by their heavily labeled nuclei. The cochleovestibular ganglion neurons were the only cell type with unlabeled nuclei, indicating that they had not divided or synthesized DNA during the two-week incubation. Thus all of the identifiable cochleovestibular ganglion neurons must have become postmitotic in the explants. Since ganglion cell division is still occurring in situ when the neurons are explanted, neuroblasts either failed to divide or failed to produce neuronal progeny in the culture conditions used. Therefore, the dependence of the cochleovestibular ganglion neurons on their normal target tissues most likely reflects a trophic effect on their postmitotic survival and differentiation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Cryopreservation of postnatal rat retinal ganglion cells: persistence of voltage- and ligand-gated ionic currents.

Established methods for cryopreservation of living cells were modified for freeze-storage of postnatal retinal ganglion cells from rat. Retinal cell suspensions containing fluorescently labeled ganglion cells were frozen after addition of 8% dimethyl sulfoxide and stored at -80 degrees C for up to 66 days. Viability of identified retinal ganglion cells was assessed by their ability to take up and cleave fluorescein diacetate to fluorescein. No significant difference was found in the number of living retinal ganglion cells when cells obtained from the same dissociation were counted before and after freezing (6.65 +/- 2.37 x 10(4) vs 7.05 +/- 3.67 x 10(4) retinal ganglion cells per ml, respectively; mean +/- S.D., n = 4). In culture following cryopreservation, the cells appeared morphologically normal, and developed neurites and growth cones similar to their freshly dissociated counterparts. Since very little is known about the electrophysiology and membrane properties of neurons after cryopreservation, we used the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique to study voltage- and ligand-gated conductances in cryopreserved retinal ganglion cells. The cryopreserved retinal ganglion cells studied under current-clamp maintained resting potentials of -60.9 +/- 6.6 mV (n = 10) and upon depolarization fired action potentials. During voltage-clamp in the whole-cell mode, depolarizing voltage steps activated Na(+)-(INa), Ca(2+)-(ICa), and K(+)-currents in all cells tested (n = 122). INa could be reversibly blocked by 1 microM tetrodotoxin added to the external solution. ICa was blocked by external 250 microM Cd2+ or 3 mM Co2+. In some cells, ICa consisted of both a transient and prolonged component. The outward K(+)-current consisted of Ca(2+)-dependent and -independent components. The Ca(2+)-insensitive portion of the K+ outward current was separated into four distinct components based upon pharmacological sensitivity and biophysical properties. In many cells, a rapidly inactivating current similar to the A-type K(+)-current (IA) observed in freshly cultured retinal ganglion cells was isolated by its greater sensitivity to 4-aminopyridine (5 mM) than to tetraethylammonium (20 mM). A tetraethylammonium-sensitive current with a more prolonged time course reminiscent of IK, the delayed rectifier, was also found. When the 4-aminopyridine- and tetraethylammonium-insensitive portions of the outward current were further analysed with voltage protocols, an additional slowly decaying potassium current became apparent. The inhibitory amino acids, GABA (20 microM) and glycine (100 microM), activated chloride-selective currents that were selectively blocked by bicuculline methiodide (10 microM) and strychnine (5 microM), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1994

Anatomical characterization of retinal ganglion cells that project to the nucleus of the basal optic root in the turtle (Pseudemys scripta elegans).

There is little detailed information about retinal ganglion cells which project to specific central targets in the brain. The present study examined retinal ganglion cells projecting to the nucleus of the basal optic root, a major accessory retinal target in the turtle. These ganglion cells were first selectively labeled using retrograde transport of rhodamine injected stereotaxically into the nucleus of the basal optic root. The number and distribution of the retrogradely labeled cells in the retina was then determined. Some of these retrogradely labeled cells were then injected intracellularly with Lucifer Yellow, photoconverted using diaminobenzidine, and drawn in detail using a camera lucida attachment. There were approximately 1500 ganglion cells in each retina which projected to the nucleus of the basal optic root, of which 20% had cell bodies displaced to the inner nuclear layer. More than 50% of the total population was concentrated in the visual streak region. All ganglion cells projecting to the nucleus of the basal optic root, both normal and displaced, had monostratified dendritic arborizations in stratum 1 of the inner plexiform layer. About 41% of these ganglion cells had elongated dendritic arborizations with distinct orientations, which may suggest a correlation of morphology and function. There were similarities in the overall appearance, and in the type and stratification of the dendritic arborizations of all ganglion cells projecting to the nucleus of the basal optic root. These anatomical similarities are consistent with the previously demonstrated similarities in physiology and may reflect a common role for these ganglion cells in visual processing.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Developmental pattern of M1 and M2 muscarinic gene expression and receptor levels in cat carotid body, petrosal and superior cervical ganglion.

Using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Northern blot, and Western blot analyses, we evaluated the developmental pattern of mRNA and protein expression level of muscarinic M1 and M2 receptors in the carotid body, petrosal ganglion and superior cervical ganglion of 1-day, 15-day, 2-month-old and adult cats. mRNA expression and protein levels of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme for dopamine synthesis, were also assessed. Carotid body M1 receptor mRNA, increased significantly by approximately 100% and 300% in 2-month and adult vs. 1- and 15-day-old cats, but protein level decreased gradually being approximately 50% lower compared with 1-day-old cats. In the petrosal ganglion, muscarinic M1 receptor mRNA level was higher in 15-day-old cats vs. 1-day-old, 2-month-old and adult cats and protein levels were about 30% lower than in 1- and 15-day-old cats. In the superior cervical ganglion, muscarinic M1 receptor mRNA was approximately 50% and 80% higher in 2-month-old and adult cats than 1- and 15-day-old, but no changes in the protein level except in 15-day-old cats which was approximately 40% higher than 1-day-old. There was no change of muscarinic M2 receptor mRNA or protein level in the carotid body or petrosal ganglion. However, in the superior cervical ganglion, the significant increase of mRNA of 30% and 50% in 2-month-olds and adults, respectively was not associated with an increase in receptor protein. Tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA and protein level decreased significantly with age in the carotid body and petrosal ganglion. In the superior cervical ganglion, the age dependent increase in tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA was not associated with any changes in the protein level. These results show that the expression of muscarinic M1 and M2 receptors are age and organ-dependent in cats. Consequently, these changes may modulate chemosensory activity during development since muscarinic M1 receptor is predominantly involved in postsynaptic chemosensory activity, while muscarinic M2 receptor modulates acetylcholine and dopamine release from chemosensitive cells.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2004

The trigeminal nerve and ganglion: an anatomical, histological, and radiological study addressing the transtrigeminal approach.

BACKGROUND: The transtrigeminal route with splitting of the trigeminal ganglion (TG) is a skull base approach used to expose the posteromedial part of the cavernous sinus (CS), the base of the TG, and the petrolingual ligament (PLL). METHODS: To verify the transtrigeminal approach (TTA), the 3 divisions of the trigeminal nerve (TN), the so-called TG, and the trigeminal root were analyzed anatomically, histologically, and radiologically. The anatomic study was performed bilaterally in 5 cadaveric head specimens. For the histologic study, 6 TN specimens removed from cadavers were used. In addition, the radiologic demonstration of the TN and its so-called ganglion was performed on 5 cases by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. RESULTS: The TN is composed of linear, crossing, and connecting rootlets. These 3 types of rootlets indicate a plexiform constitution rather than a ganglion even though there are ganglionic cells. Consequently, the term "trigeminal plexus" may be preferred to describe this network. In our new proposed classification, the segments of the TN can be divided into 6 portions according to their relationship with the brainstem, the cisterns, and the bone structures. The first 3 segments before separating into 3 divisions are (1) pontine, (2) cisternal (preganglionic or preplexal), (3) gasserian (ganglionic or plexal). The last 3 segments after the division are (4) preforamino-fissural (postganglionic or postplexal), (5) foramino-fissural, and (6) extracranial (postforamino-fissural). A loose connective tissue along the rootlets of the maxillary and the mandibular divisions of the TN at the gasserian (ganglionic or plexal) segment enabled us to split the so-called "trigeminal ganglion" or "gasserian ganglion" to perform the TTA. CONCLUSION: The TTA is possible, useful, and necessary in selected cases with invasion of the posteromedial part of the CS.

Humans↗