Parvalbumin in the monkey striate cortex: a quantitative immunoelectron-microscopy study.
Parvalbumin (PV) is present in a subpopulation of interneurons in the visual cortex, and also in thalamic afferents to the neocortex of primates. The object of this study is to confirm by immunoelectron-microscopy the presence of intrinsic and extrinsic connections containing parvalbumin in the monkey visual cortex, by the demonstration of parvalbumin-immunoreactivity in symmetric and asymmetric synapses. We analyzed the distribution of parvalbumin-immunoreactive profiles at the ultrastructural level in the primary visual cortex of old world monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). It has been shown by others that parvalbumin-immunoreactive cells resemble non-spiny stellate cells, double-bouquet cells, chandelier and basket cells. These neurons are known to be inhibitory and to form symmetric synapses. In fact, we observed that the vast majority of parvalbumin-immunoreactive synaptic contacts in the primary visual cortex of Macaca fascicularis are of the symmetric type (81.7%). Since parvalbumin-positive asymmetric contacts are also present (18.3%) and occur mostly in the thalamic recipient layers, 4C and 4A (9.9%), these afferents probably derive from parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons located in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus.
Institute of Anatomy, University of Kiel, F.R.G.
I
I
Blümcke
P R
PR
Hof
J H
JH
Morrison
M R
MR
Celio
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003712:Dendrites / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000032:analysis*; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D010320:Parvalbumins