title: Specialization of pyramidal cell structure in the visual areas V1, V2 and V3 of the South American rodent, Dasyprocta primnolopha.
abstract: Marked phenotypic variation has been reported in pyramidal cells in the primate cerebral cortex. These extent and systematic nature of these specializations suggest that they are important for specialized aspects of cortical processing. However, it remains unknown as to whether regional variations in the pyramidal cell phenotype are unique to primates or if they are widespread amongst mammalian species. In the present study we determined the receptive fields of neurons in striate and extrastriate visual cortex, and quantified pyramidal cell structure in these cortical regions, in the diurnal, large-brained, South American rodent Dasyprocta primnolopha. We found evidence for a first, second and third visual area (V1, V2 and V3, respectively) forming a lateral progression from the occipital pole to the temporal pole. Pyramidal cell structure became increasingly more complex through these areas, suggesting that regional specialization in pyramidal cell phenotype is not restricted to primates. However, cells in V1, V2 and V3 of the agouti were considerably more spinous than their counterparts in primates, suggesting different evolutionary and developmental influences may act on cortical microcircuitry in rodents and primates.
authors.affiliation: Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, 4072, Australia. Electronic address: G.Elston@vthrc.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Guy N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.affiliation: Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neuroanatomia Funcional, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66075-900 Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco Aurelio M
authors.initials: MAM
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neuroanatomia Funcional, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66075-900 Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wallace
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gomes Leal
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neuroanatomia Funcional, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66075-900 Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivanira Amaral
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66075-900 Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66075-900 Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos L
authors.initials: LCL
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neuroanatomia Funcional, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66075-900 Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristovam W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Picanço Diniz
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000502:physiology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D019044:Image Cytometry; D007546:Isoquinolines; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007546:Isoquinolines; C017475:lucifer yellow; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV