Direct retinal communication with the peri-amygdaloid area.
Retinal projections to the basal forebrain in male Syrian hamsters were examined at the ultrastructural level following bilateral intraocular injections of horseradish peroxidase conjugated to either cholera toxin (CT-HRP) or wheat germ agglutinin (WGA-HRP). Light level microscopic analysis confirmed retinal projections along basal telencephalon, and examination on the electron microscope of individual fibers from the peri-amygdaloid area revealed en passant synaptic profiles. Sections from animals treated with WGA-HRP showed evidence of transsynaptic communication in the form of labeled dendrites in the peri-amygdaloid area. Taken together, these data show that the retina communicates directly with the periamygdaloid area, where photic and chemosensory information may be integrated to modulate reproductive behavior.
Elliott
A S
AS
Dept of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48224, USA.
Weiss
M L
ML
Nunez
A A
AA
D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D006224:Cricetinae; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D018998:Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins
D018998:Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; C052635:cholera toxin, B subunit-horseradish peroxidase; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase