title: Dimensions of a projection column and architecture of VPM and POm axons in rat vibrissal cortex.
abstract: This is the first article in a series of 3 studies that investigate the anatomical determinants of thalamocortical (TC) input to excitatory neurons in a cortical column of rat primary somatosensory cortex (S1). S1 receives 2 major types of TC inputs, lemiscal and paralemniscal. Lemiscal axons arise from the ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) of the thalamus, whereas paralemniscal fibers originate in the posteromedial nucleus (POm). While these 2 TC projections are largely complementary in L4, overlap in other cortical layers is still a matter of debate. VPM and POm axons were specifically labeled in the same rat by virus-mediated expression of different fluorescent proteins. We show that columnar and septal projection patterns are maintained throughout most of the cortical depth with a lower degree of separation in infragranular layers, where TC axons form bands along rows. Finally, we present anatomical dimensions of "TC projection domains" for a standard column in S1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Verena.Wimmer@florey.edu.au
authors.forename: Verena C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Wimmer
authors.forename: Randy M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Christiaan P J
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: de Kock
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuner
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sakmann
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000502:physiology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D020656:Posterior Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D020651:Ventral Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology*; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000294:innervation*; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein
references.citation: Nature. 2009 Feb 26;457(7233):1142-5
references.pmid: 19151697
references.citation: J Neurosci. 1999 Dec 15;19(24):10829-42
references.pmid: 10594065
references.citation: Cereb Cortex. 2008 May;18(5):979-89
references.pmid: 17702950
references.citation: Cereb Cortex. 2010 Oct;20(10):2287-303
references.pmid: 20534783
references.citation: Pflugers Arch. 2004 Dec;449(3):319-33
references.pmid: 15452710
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1977 Oct 15;175(4):455-82
references.pmid: 915034
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2008 Sep 24;28(39):9652-63
references.pmid: 18815251
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 2008 Jul 20;509(3):239-58
references.pmid: 18496871
references.citation: J Physiol. 2007 May 15;581(Pt 1):139-54
references.pmid: 17317752
references.citation: Neuroscience. 1991;41(2-3):365-79
references.pmid: 1870696
references.citation: J Neurosci Methods. 1996 Apr;65(2):113-36
references.pmid: 8740589
references.citation: Neuron. 1998 Nov;21(5):1055-65
references.pmid: 9856461
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1980 Nov 15;194(2):335-67
references.pmid: 7440805
references.citation: PLoS Biol. 2006 May;4(5):e124
references.pmid: 16605304
references.citation: J Neurosci. 1993 Dec;13(12):5365-82
references.pmid: 8254380
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 May 15;88(10):4489-93
references.pmid: 1709743
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2007 Nov 28;27(48):13316-28
references.pmid: 18045926
references.citation: Cereb Cortex. 2010 Oct;20(10):2277-86
references.pmid: 20534784
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1980 Nov 15;194(2):369-93
references.pmid: 7440806
references.citation: Somatosens Mot Res. 1993;10(1):1-16
references.pmid: 8484292
references.citation: Brain Res. 1973 Mar 15;51:326-31
references.pmid: 4706020
references.citation: Mol Cell Neurosci. 2005 Feb;28(2):347-60
references.pmid: 15691715
references.citation: J Neurosci. 1987 Nov;7(11):3529-43
references.pmid: 3316525
references.citation: PLoS Biol. 2006 Nov;4(12):e382
references.pmid: 17121453
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 2004 Dec 13;480(3):299-309
references.pmid: 15515173
references.citation: Science. 2006 Jun 16;312(5780):1622-7
references.pmid: 16778049
references.citation: Somatosens Mot Res. 1992;9(1):3-36
references.pmid: 1317625
references.citation: Prog Brain Res. 2002;136:333-57
references.pmid: 12143393
references.citation: Brain Struct Funct. 2007 Jul;212(1):3-17
references.pmid: 17717695
references.citation: Brain Res. 1970 Jan 20;17(2):205-42
references.pmid: 4904874
references.citation: Brain Res. 1979 Dec;180(3):275-311
references.pmid: 394815
references.citation: Brain Res. 1985 Sep 16;343(1):159-65
references.pmid: 4041849
references.citation: J Physiol. 2003 Nov 15;553(Pt 1):243-65
references.pmid: 12949232
references.citation: J Neurophysiol. 1992 Oct;68(4):1345-58
references.pmid: 1432088
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 2003 Jun 2;460(3):394-409
references.pmid: 12692857
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1989 Jul 15;285(3):325-38
references.pmid: 2547850
references.citation: Methods. 2002 Oct;28(2):227-36
references.pmid: 12413421
references.citation: Brain Res. 1991 Jan 11;538(2):351-7
references.pmid: 2012978
references.citation: J Physiol. 2004 Apr 15;556(Pt 2):601-22
references.pmid: 14724202
references.citation: Brain. 1970;93(4):793-820
references.pmid: 4992433
references.citation: EMBO J. 1987 Nov;6(11):3261-8
references.pmid: 3123215
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 2000 Nov 13;427(2):302-31
references.pmid: 11054695
references.citation: J Neurophysiol. 2001 Jul;86(1):354-67
references.pmid: 11431516
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 2000 May 1;420(2):233-43
references.pmid: 10753309
references.citation: Science. 1980 Feb 1;207(4430):532-5
references.pmid: 7352263
references.citation: Mol Ther. 2003 Jun;7(6):839-50
references.pmid: 12788658
references.citation: Brain Res. 1988 Nov 1;463(2):346-51
references.pmid: 2461788
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1987 Apr 22;258(4):542-64
references.pmid: 3584549
references.citation: Brain Res. 1975 Mar 28;86(3):469-72
references.pmid: 1116010