title: Morphological variability of NADPH diaphorase neurons across areas V1, V2, and V3 of the common agouti.
abstract: Previous studies have shown a noticeable phenotypic diversity for pyramidal cells among cortical areas in the cerebral cortex. Both the extent and systematic nature of this variation suggests a correlation with particular aspects of cortical processing. Nevertheless, regional variations in the morphology of inhibitory cells have not been evaluated with the same detail. In the present study we performed a 3D morphometric analysis of 120 NADPH diaphorase (NADPH-d) type I neurons in the visual cortex of a South American Hystricomorph rodent, the diurnal agouti (Dasyprocta sp.). We found significant differences in morphology of NADPH-d type I neurons among visual cortical areas: cells became progressively larger and more branched from V1 to V2 and V3. Presumably, the specialized morphology of these cells is correlated with different sampling geometry and function. The data suggest that area-specific specializations of cortical inhibitory circuitry are also present in rodents.
authors.affiliation: Lab. Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66073-000 Belém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: Emiliana G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Jorge Luiz F
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Joanilson S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos L
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Guy N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Cristovam W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Picanço-Diniz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048429:Cell Size; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003712:Dendrites / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010784:Photomicrography; D012377:Rodentia; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase