GABAergic circuitry in the dorsal division of the cat medial geniculate nucleus.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the thalamus. We used postembedding immunocytochemistry to examine the synaptic organization of GABA-positive profiles in the dorsal superficial subdivision of the cat medial geniculate nucleus (MGN). Three groups of GABA-positive profiles participate in synapses: axon terminals, dendrites, and presynaptic dendrites. The presynaptic GABA-positive terminals target mainly GABA-negative dendrites. The GABA-positive postsynaptic profiles receive input primarily from GABA-negative axons. The results indicate that the synaptic organization of GABA-positive profiles in the dorsal superficial subdivision of the MGN nucleus is very similar to that in other thalamic nuclei.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007395:Interneurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid