title: [Characteristics of small neurons in the reticular thalamic nucleus of WAG/Rij rat].
abstract: The aim of this investigation was to study the ultrastructure of small neurons in the reticular thalamic nucleus (RTN) in rats of the WAG/Rij strain, which is a recognized model for human absence epilepsy. 24 rats were used in these studies. The paraffin sections of the brain taken from 10 rats were stained with Nissl's cresyl violet and were used for the study of neuronal cytoarchitecture and cytological characteristics. For electron microscopic study, RTN was dissected under microscopic control and fixed in cooled 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution in 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Small neurons were found to constitute 5-8% of the total number of RTN neurons. They had ovoid cell body, scanty pale-staining cytoplasm, often were seen in pairs. The ultrastructure of these neurons was characterized by poor development of membranes, axonal branching close to the cell body, multiple contacts of axon with cell body and dendrites. It is suggested that the neurons described are short-axonal.
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Nagaeva
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Akhmadeev
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Kalimullina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003712:Dendrites / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D022022:Nuclear Pore / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000648:ultrastructure*