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A Csillag

Publications and source records attributed to A Csillag.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Termination pattern of medial hyperstriatum ventrale efferents in the archistriatum of the domestic chick.

The chick archistriatum receives afferents from the intermediate part of the medial hyperstriatum ventrale (IMHV) and projects to the lobus parolfactorius (LPO). There is functional evidence to suggest that the IMHV and the LPO are connected, but there is no anatomical evidence for a direct connection between the two structures. The aim of the current study was to characterize the termination pattern of medial hyperstriatal afferents within the archistriatum to determine whether the archistriatum may act as a relay between the IMHV and LPO. Following iontophoresis of Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin into the medial hyperstriatum ventrale (including the IMHV) of 1-week-old domestic chicks, anterogradely labelled fibers were observed to descend through the medial neostriatum and paleostriatum to enter the archistriatum. These medial hyperstriatum ventrale afferents arborised profusely to give varicose axon branches within all except the anterior part of the archistriatum. However, the greatest density was present in the ventral part of the intermediate archistriatum. Electron microscope examination of Phaseolus lectin immunocytochemistry and Golgi impregnation revealed that medial hyperstriatum ventrale axons formed multiple asymmetric synapses with dendritic spines (head and neck regions) on the terminal and preterminal dendritic segments of densely spiny archistriatal projection neurons. Medial hyperstriatum ventrale afferents were not observed to contact calbindin immunoreactive, presumptive "local circuit" neurons, within the archistriatum, despite a spatial overlap in their distribution. These results suggest that the archistriatum may be capable of mediating the transfer of information from the IMHV to the LPO.

Animals↗

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactive structures in the mouse barrel field.

Immunohistochemistry for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide was carried out in tangentially cut vibratome sections of the barrel cortex in adult mice. Sections through layer IV have revealed an association between the cytoarchitectonically visible modular organization of barrels and the distribution of immunoreactive axon terminals. These terminals are preferentially localized in the side region of a barrel, whereas the hollow shows a relative scarcity of these structures as shown with image analysis. This finding is the first direct demonstration of a modular distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-containing axon terminals in the neocortex.

Animals↗

A subpopulation of large calbindin-like immunopositive neurones is present in the hippocampal formation in food-storing but not in non-storing species of bird.

The avian hippocampal formation (HP) is thought to play a role in the processing of spatial memory related to food-storing behaviour. The HP of two food-storing species (marsh tit (Parus palustris) and magpie (Pica pica)) and two non-storing species (great tit (Parus major) and jackdaw (Corvus monedula)) were compared following calbindin-like immunostaining. In the dorsal hippocampal region, both species of food-storing birds had larger calbindin-immunoreactive cells than did the two non-storing species. The fact that this association between storing behaviour and cell morphology is seen in two unrelated families of birds, the Paridae (marsh tit versus great tit) and Corvidae (magpie versus jackdaw) suggests that there may be a direct link between food-storing behaviour and the dorsal hippocampal calbindin-immunoreactive cell population.

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Quantitative autoradiographic demonstration of changes in binding to delta opioid, but not mu or kappa receptors, in chick forebrain 30 minutes after passive avoidance training.

Day-old domestic chicks (Gallus domesticus) were trained on a one-trial passive avoidance task in which the aversive stimulus was a bitter tasting substance, methylanthranilate. Thirty minutes later, localization of binding of highly specific ligands (([D-Ala2, Gly-ol]-enkephalin ([3H]DAGO) for mu (mu) receptor sites, [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]-enkephalin ([3H]-DPDPE) for delta (delta) sites, and [3H]-U- 69593 for kappa (kappa 1) sites) to opioid receptors in various regions of the forebrain of methyl-anthranilate trained (M-) and control (water trained (W-)) chicks was determined using quantitative receptor autoradiography. Significant differences in binding to delta ([3H]-DPDPE), but not mu or kappa receptors, were found in several regions of the forebrain, of trained compared to control chicks. There were decreases in binding in the hyperstriatum dorsale of the left hemisphere (14%) and a decrease in binding in the lateral hyperstriatum ventrale of the right hemisphere (14%). However, significant increases were observed in delta binding in the paleostriatum augmentatum of the right hemisphere (16%) and the lobus parolfactorius of both hemispheres (left, 20%; right, 21%). In a control experiment designed to determine whether the taste of methylanthranilate contributed to the increase in 3H-DPDPE binding, there was no significant difference in the level of binding between blindfolded birds in which methylanthranilate was placed in the beak, and blindfolded birds in which water was placed on the bead and inserted into the beak. These findings demonstrate that changes occur in an opioid receptor sub-type in specific regions of forebrain of the chick following passive avoidance training which may be related to events concerned with the process of memory formation.

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Distribution of glial fibrillary acidic protein-immunopositive structures in the brain of the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus).

The present study is the first comprehensive mapping of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunopositive structures in the avian brain. Two main types of GFAP-immunopositive elements were observed: (1) nonbranching fibers, occasionally twisted or varicose, and (2) star-shaped cells. Long immunostained fibers originate from the lateral ventricle to form three bundles. Fibers of the dorsal group, emanating from the dorsal/lateral corner of the ventricle, course in lateral, anterior, and ventral directions forming a semidome, which separates the outer pallial (lateral cortical) regions from the underlying striatal mass. The middle group of fibers is directed anteriorly and laterally corresponding to the laminae frontales superior and suprema. The ventral fiber bundle is conical and traverses the lobus parolfactorius, crossing also the lamina medullaris dorsalis (the latter consisting mainly of star-shaped cells). The hippocampus, septum, and hypothalamus also contain straight radial fibers. In some areas, given their variable orientation, the fibers cannot be regarded as merely persisting radial glia. In the telencephalon, the nuclei basalis, accumbens, ectostriatum, paleostriatum primitivum, and the ventral paleostriatum are particularly rich in GFAP-positive cells, whereas the neostriatum, hyperstriatum, and paleostriatum augmentatum are almost devoid of GFAP labelling. Certain nuclei of the thalamus and the lower brainstem are conspicuous by their low levels of GFAP immunoreactivity. The Bergmann glia were GFAP-immunonegative.

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Long-term effects of anterograde degeneration on astroglial reaction in the rat geniculo-cortical system as revealed by computerized image analysis.

Changes in the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein by astrocytes in the primary visual cortex of adult albino rats were analyzed with immunohistochemistry after unilateral destruction of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. An increase in number of glial fibrillary acidic protein-immunoreactive astrocytes could be detected in the visual cortex of the side ipsilateral to the lesion in the short-term survival group (7-11 days post lesion), but this increase was extremely reduced after a postlesional survival time of 150 days. The quantitation of the glial response by image analysis showed, that the initial increase was mainly localized in the cortical layers II-IV, where the geniculo-cortical input terminates. The transient nature of this process was revealed by the measurements in the long-term survival group, where differences between experimental and control sides were substantially reduced. We conclude, that the remote glial response in the visual cortex is transient and that is disappearance indicates the end of a postlesional adaptation period in the neuropil.

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Matching localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and VIP-receptor at pre- and postsynaptic sites in the mouse visual cortex.

Vibratome sections of the mouse occipital cortex were processed by double label immunohistochemistry to demonstrate the localization of the receptor for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and the peptide itself. The receptor was found to be distributed in the cytoplasm and major dendrites of numerous cortical cells, mainly pyramidal neurons. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, on the other hand, occurred in a population of non-pyramidal neurons and axonal boutons. Image analysis revealed a close spatial association of peptide-containing presynaptic terminals with receptor-containing cells. Ultrastructurally, these connections represented symmetrical axo-somatic and axo-dendritic synapses. Our findings demonstrate a matching histological localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and its receptor in the brain.

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Developmental analysis of primary and secondary somatic embryogenesis in soybean tissue culture.

Somatic embryogenesis from immature soybean cotyledons was induced on Murashige & Skoog medium, supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. The full developmental analyses of primary and secondary somatic embryogenesis was monitored by scanning electron microscopy. The developmental stages of embryogenesis from the first unequal cell division through the three- and four-cell embryos, and multi-cell globular and heart shape embryos, to the fully developed plants were determined. When the globular stage embryos were incubated on the embryo maturation medium for 4 to 6 weeks a secondary embryogenesis was observed and scanned. Chimeric embryos with epidermis zones similar to mature leaf were characterized.

Culture Media↗

Neuropeptide Y innervation of retinorecipient layers of chick optic tectum.

A dense laminar network of varicose neuropeptide Y immunopositive fibres, but not cells, was found to cover the retinorecipient layers of the entire optic tectum of 10- to 21-day-old domestic chicks. Unilateral enucleation resulted in no apparent loss of neuropeptide Y immunopositive fibres in the contralateral tectum, suggesting that they are not of retinal origin. To identify possible sources of neuropeptide Y immunopositive tectal input, the distribution of neuropeptide Y immunopositive perikarya was investigated in the meso-diencephalic region of the chick. A virtually continuous network of neuropeptide Y immunopositive cells and fibres was observed stretching from rostro-lateral thalamus to the pretectum in close apposition to the perirotundal belt. These neuropeptide Y immunopositive structures did not seem to respect the borders of known anatomical regions but partially co-localized with the nucl. dorsolateralis anterior pars magnocellularis and pars medialis, nucl. pretectalis diffusus, nucl. lentiformis mesencephali pars parvocellularis and pars magnocellularis, nucl. principalis precommissuralis, nucl. lateralis precommissuralis, nucl. superficialis magnocellularis (SM), nucl. posteroventralis thalami Kühlenbeck and the nucl. subrotundus. In the nucleus of the basal optic root, neuropeptide Y immunopositive perikarya were observed only within or adjacent to its dorsal and lateral subdivisions although all subdivisions were enmeshed with neuropeptide Y immunopositive fibres. The neuropeptide Y immunopositive tectal input is likely to derive from tectothalamic--presumably perirotundal--neuronal groups. The extent of this tectal afferent projection, not reported earlier in the domestic chick, suggests a powerful neuropeptide-Yergic control of retinotectal relay function.

Afferent Pathways↗

Large GABA cells of chick ectostriatum: anatomical evidence suggesting a double GABAergic disinhibitory mechanism. An electron microscopic immunocytochemical study.

In an extension of our previous light microscopic observations, a type of neuron which shows GABA-like immunoreactivity was identified and described in the ectostriatal core of young domestic chicks, using pre- and postembedding electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. Large GABA immunopositive (GABA+) cells are characterized by an ovoidal or polygonal soma of 12-16 micron diameter, uniformly distributed nuclear chromatin, a prominent Golgi apparatus and an abundance of rough endoplasmic reticulum. In addition to axodendritic terminals, large GABA neurons receive numerous axosomatic synapses of both symmetrical and asymmetrical types covering a substantial part of their perikaryal surface. Axosomatic terminals with symmetrical junctions are usually immunoreactive to GABA whereas the boutons with asymmetrical synaptic specialization are immunonegative. GABA+ boutons also synapse with dendritic spine necks presumably belonging to projection neurons. These terminals usually contain loosely packed synaptic vesicles without any marked accumulation near the synaptic cleft. Large GABA+ terminals with densely packed vesicles were found to synapse with axon hillocks. Based on known descriptions of ectostriatal cytoarchitecture and synaptology, it is suggested that the GABA+ cells of chick ectostriatum represent inhibitory interneurons which may be equivalent to GABAergic non-pyramidal neuronal types of mammalian visual cortex. GABA+ axosomatic synapses afferent to large GABA cells are likely to form the structural basis for a disinhibitory mechanism in the avian ectostriatum.

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Neomorph and leaf differentiation as alternative morphogenetic pathways in soybean tissue culture.

Somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis were induced on immature cotyledons of different soybean cultivars. The anatomical investigation of morphogenesis proved neomorph differentiation instead of somatic embryos, and leaf formation instead of shoot development. While normal embryos were induced in 0-3.1% of the explants, neomorphs developed at a much higher rate i.e. in 10.5-78.9% depending on the genotype. Likewise organogenesis preferably followed the pathway of leaflet development (3.1-26.3%) than that of shoot tip formation (0-2.6%). Low plant regeneration frequency of soybean can partly be explained with these two alternative abortive pathways of morphogenesis probably induced with higher frequency than the normal pathways by the generally used in vitro methods.

Culture Techniques↗

Distribution of mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptor binding sites in the brain of the one-day-old domestic chick (Gallus domesticus): an in vitro quantitative autoradiographic study.

Three highly specific opioid ligands--[D-Ala2,Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAGO) for mu (mu) receptor sites, [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]-enkephalin (DPDPE) for delta (delta) sites, and U-69593 for kappa (kappa) sites--were used to determine the regional distribution of the three major subtypes of opioid receptor binding sites in the brains of 1-day-old domestic chicks by the technique of quantitative receptor autoradiography. Whilst there was a degree of heterogeneity in the binding levels of each of the ligands, some notable similarities existed in the binding of the mu and kappa ligands in several forebrain regions, and in the optic tectum of the midbrain where mu and delta binding was very high. In the forebrain there was a high level of binding of mu and kappa ligands in the hyperstriatum, and for the mu ligand there was a very distinct lamination of binding sites in hyperstriatum accessorium, intercalatum supremum, dorsale and ventrale. Levels of binding of the mu and kappa ligands were also high in nucleus basalis, and (for mu only) in the neostriatum. The distribution of binding of the delta specific ligand in the forebrain showed marked differences to that of mu and kappa, being particularly low in the hyperstriatum and neostriatum. Very high levels of labelling of delta binding sites were, however, found in the nucleus rotundus. Binding of the three ligands was generally low or absent in the cerebellum and medulla, apart from a distinct labelling of the granule cell layer by the mu-ligand. A kinetic analysis was made of the binding of the three ligands to whole forebrain sections using scintillation counting methods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analgesics↗

[3H]naloxone binding in the brain of the domestic chick (Gallus domesticus) determined by in vitro quantitative autoradiography.

The distribution of [3H]naloxone binding sites was investigated in the brains of one-day-old domestic chicks using quantitative receptor autoradiography. Among the forebrain regions, the greatest levels of opiate binding were found in hyperstriatum dorsale, hyperstriatum ventrale, hyperstriatum intercalatum supremum and neostriatum. Intermediate levels were found throughout the paleostriatal regions, septum, thalamus, archistriatum, hyperstriatum accessorium and area parahippocampalis whilst in hippocampus and ectostriatum the density of [3H]naloxone binding sites was low. In the hindbrain, high levels of opiate binding were found in optic tectum whereas in cerebellum the density of binding sites was barely above background. The greatest densities of opiate binding appear to coincide with regions found to be involved in sensory processing and memory storage.

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Localization of GABA-like immunoreactivity in the ectostriatum of domestic chicks: GABA immunocytochemistry combined with Golgi impregnation.

The distribution of GABA-like immunoreactivity (GABA-LI) in the ectostriatal core (Ec) of domestic chicks (one to two days old) was investigated using (1) preembedding GABA immunocytochemistry and (2) Golgi impregnation and gold-toning combined with postembedding GABA immunocytochemistry. Two major classes of neurons which display GABA-LI were identified in chick Ec. Firstly, large GABA immunopositive cells which comprise at least two further subtypes: an ovoid or polygonal form of 14-18 microns diameter with no apparent polarity of dendrites and a smaller cell (10-14 microns) with ovoid or basket-shaped soma and often more polarized dendritic ramification. In both subtypes the dendritic surface is smooth or sparsely spiny. Secondly, a small GABA immunopositive cell which is characterized by a round cell body of 5-8 microns diameter and thin and sparsely ramifying dendrites of smooth surface or with irregular protrusions. Based upon comprehensive descriptions of ectostriatal cytoarchitectonics (Tömböl et al., 1988c), and synaptology (Watanabe et al., 1985), we argue that the GABA-immunopositive cell types of chick Ec are likely to represent inhibitory interneurons comparable with GABAergic inhibitory cell types described in mammalian visual cortex.

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Morphology of supravital brain slices pre-incubated in a physiological solution prior to fixation.

Slices of 400 microns thickness were prepared from various regions of the adult rat brain using a vibratome, and incubated in oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit medium for 3 h prior to processing for light and electron microscopy. Previous findings in cerebellar slices suggest that the structural recovery requires at least a 1 h period of incubation. In the present study, vibratome-cut slices of other brain areas such as the hippocampus, parietal cortex, striatum and median eminence were shown to display after this period a gross and fine structure comparable to in situ fixed tissues, and to retain it for at least 3 h of incubation. These areas are thought to be promising for further in vitro functional morphological experimentation.

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Quantitative autoradiographic analysis of the distribution of [3H]muscimol binding to GABA receptors in chick brain.

Quantitative receptor autoradiography was used to investigate the distribution of high-affinity GABA receptors (GABAA) in left and right hemispheres of the brains of 3-week-old chicks. The receptors were labelled with the potent GABA agonist [3H]muscimol. High levels of [3H]muscimol labelling were found throughout the fore-, mid-, and hindbrain, though considerable variation was found in different regions. In the telencephalon the highest concentration of specific binding was found in the hyperstriatum ventrale followed by the neostriatum, and then the lobus parolfactorius of the paleostriatal complex, whilst in the diencephalon highest levels of labelling were present in the infundibulum. In the midbrain distinct lamination was observed in the high levels of [3H]muscimol binding in the optic tectum and in the hind brain the highest density of labelling occurred in the granular layers of the cerebellum. Levels of labelling were generally low in the brainstem regions. The distribution of [3H]muscimol binding in the optic tectum and in the hind brain the highest density of labelling occurred in the granular layers of the cerebellum. Levels of labelling were generally low in the brainstem regions. The distribution of [3H]muscimol binding sites is in good agreement with our previous work on the distribution of GABA-immunoreactivity in the chick brain.

Animals↗

Preparation and characterisation of a monoclonal antibody to an antigen enriched in chick brain postsynaptic densities.

The preparation and characterisation of a monoclonal antibody to an antigen enriched in day-old chick brain postsynaptic densities (PSDs), with respect to other subcellular loci, are described. Immunolabelling with this antibody produced a dendritic immunoprecipitate that was markedly stronger in PSDs than in other subcellular loci. Thus, the antiserum could be used as a marker for PSDs during their purification by subcellular fractionation, as well as in the study of PSD assembly. Monoclonal antibody 411B has already been shown to be a useful tool in the chemical determination of changes in synapse density after various experimental manipulations in both the chick and rat. In the present study, we have used the antiserum to monitor the appearance and maintenance or redundancy of synaptic components in the developing chick forebrain.

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