Three types of neurons in the medial cuneate nucleus of the cat.
A combined study utilizing Golgi-EM and gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) immunocytochemistry revealed the presence of 3 types of neurons in the cat medial cuneate nucleus. The 2 GABA-immunonegative neuron types were characterized by numerous and richly arborized dendritic processes; they were abundant in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and other cell organelles, and the perikarya were heavily covered by axosomatic terminal boutons. Their large neuron type (35 +/- 3 micron diameter) exhibited thick and bifurcating dendrites, whereas the dendrites of the smaller (28 +/- 3 micron) immunonegative nerve cell were more or less radially oriented. The third and smallest neuron type (24 +/- 4 micron), shape not demonstrated by Golgi stain, indicated strong GABA-immunopositivity. The soma of this type had relatively little rough endoplasmic reticulum and other cell organelles, and received only few or slight axosomatic synapses, in contrast to the GABA-positive cells. A quantitative estimation of immunostained and immunonegative nerve cells in the 50 micron thick sections showed that 11-45% of nerve cells in the medial cuneate nucleus are GABA-positive.
Isomura
G
G
Department of Anatomy, Fuijta-Gakuen Health University, School of Hygiene, Aichi, Japan.
Hámori
J
J
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000166:cytology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D012016:Reference Values