title: Pyramidal cell specialization in the occipitotemporal cortex of the Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus).
abstract: Pyramidal cell structure varies systematically in occipitotemporal visual areas in monkeys. The dendritic trees of pyramidal cells, on average, become larger, more branched and more spinous with progression from the primary visual area (V1) to the second visual area (V2), the fourth (V4, or dorsolateral DL visual area) and inferotemporal (IT) cortex. Presently available data reveal that the extent of this increase in complexity parallels the expansion of occipitotemporal cortex. Here we extend the basis for comparison by studying pyramidal cell structure in occipitotemporal cortical areas in the chacma baboon. We found a systematic increase in the size of and branching complexity in the basal dendritic trees, as well as a progressive increase in the spine density along the basal dendrites of layer III pyramidal cells through V1, V2 and V4. These data suggest that the trend for more complex pyramidal cells with anterior progression through occipitotemporal visual areas is not a feature restricted to monkeys and prosimians, but is a widespread feature of occipitotemporal cortex in primates.
authors.affiliation: Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre, Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences & Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Guy N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benavides-Piccione
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeFelipe
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D010215:Papio; D010641:Phenotype; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*