Abstract
The mammalian forebrain, including the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd)and the visual cortex, continues both structural and functional development postnatally and is therefore a useful model for the study of developmental processes in the central nervous system (CNS). We report here the first description and comparison of the structural development of individual, functionally identified neurones in the mammalian forebrain. This comparison is made for the three main cell groups of the central visual pathways (W-, X- and Y-cells), in the neonate and the adult. In the adult, these three classes of neurones have different characteristic electrophysiological properties1–9 and relay information in parallel about different features of a visual scene8,9 from the retina through the LGNd to the visual cortex. In addition, each of the three functional cell types has a characteristic structure in the adult10,11. By injection of the enzyme marker substance, horseradish peroxi-dase, into electrophysiologically identified neurones, the present study demonstrates that each of these functional classes of neurones also has a characteristic morphology in the neonate (in the LGNd of kitten 3–4 postnatal weeks of age). However, striking differences in the rates of maturation are seen. The W-cells are already mature at this age. The X-cells are the least developed. Surprisingly, some Y-cells are mature. Due to the susceptibility of Y-cells to an abnormal visual environment during development12–18, they had previously been thought to be slower to mature.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Enroth-Cugell, C. & Robson, R. G. J. Physiol., Lond. 187, 517–552 (1966).
Cleland, B. G., Dubin, M. W. & Levick, W. R. J. Physioi, Lond. 217, 473–496 (1971).
Hoffmann, K.-P., Stone, J. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 518–531 (1972).
Hochstein, S. & Shapley, R. M. J. Physiol., Lond. 262, 237–264 (1976).
Hochstein, S. & Shapley, R. M. J. Physiol., Lond. 262, 265–284 (1976).
Stevens, J. K. & Gerstein, G. L. J. Neurophysiol. 39, 213–238 (1976).
Wilson, P. D., Rowe, M. H. & Stone, J. J. Neurophysiol. 39, 1193–1209 (1976).
Lehmkuhle, S., Kratz, K. E., Mangel, S. C. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 43, 520–541 (1980).
Sur, M. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 47, 869–884 (1982).
Friedlander, M. J., Lin, C.-S., Stanford, L. R. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 46, 80–129 (1981).
Stanford, L. R., Friedlander, M. J. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurosci. 1, 578–584 (1981).
Sherman, S. M., Hoffman, K.-P. & Stone, J. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 532–541 (1972).
Kratz, K. E., Webb, S. V. & Sherman, S. M. J. comp. Neurol. 181, 615–625 (1978).
Mower, G. D., Burchfiel, J. L. & Duffy, F. H. Devl Brain Res. 1, 418–424 (1981).
Zetlan, S. R., Spear, P. D. & Geisert, E. E. Vision Res. 21, 1035–1039 (1981).
Friedlander, M. J. & Stanford, L. R. Invest. Ophthal. vis. Sci. 22(3), 236 (1982).
Friedlander, M. H., Stanford, L. R. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurosci. 2, 321–330 (1982).
Geisert, E. E., Spear, P. D., Zetlan, S. R. & Langsetmo, A. J. Neurosci. 2, 577–588 (1982).
Adams, J. C. Neuroscience 2, 141–145 (1977).
Daniels, J. N., Pettigrew, J. D. & Norman, J. L. J. Neurophysiol. 41, 1394–1417 (1978).
Mason, C. A. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 7, 675 (1981).
Friedlander, M. J. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 7, 140 (1981).
Hamasaki, I. I. & Sutija, V. G. Expl Brain Res. 35, 9–23 (1979).
Rusoff, A. C. & Dubin, M. W. J. Neurophysiol. 40, 1188–1198 (1977).
Garey, L. J., Fisken, R. A. & Powell, T. P. S. Brain Res. 52, 359–362 (1973).
Hickey, T. L. J. comp. Neurol. 189, 467–482 (1980).
Kalil, R. J. comp. Neurol. 189, 483–524 (1980).
Guillery, R. W. J. comp. Neurol. 144, 117–130 (1972).
Le Vay, S., Wiesel, T. N. & Hubel, D. H. J. comp. Neurol. 191, 1–51 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Friedlander, M. Structure of physiologically classified neurones in the kitten dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Nature 300, 180–183 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/300180a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/300180a0
This article is cited by
-
The Dorsal Nucleus of the Lateral Geniculate Body: Anatomy, Histology, Ontogenesis
Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology (2023)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.