title: Retinal projections into the Zona Incerta of the rock cavy (Kerodon rupestris): a CTb study.
abstract: The Zona Incerta is a key neural substrate of higher brain functions. A neural population in the caudal ZI projects into the superior colliculus. This recently has been identified as an important structure for the saccades. Applying CTb, we describe a retinal projection into the caudal ZI and the distribution of its terminal varicosities in the rock cavy, a Brazilian rodent, which has been used as an anatomical model to enhance the comprehension about the phylogeny of the nervous system. Contrary to other investigated rodents, the retinal fibers in the rock cavy lie in the caudal Zona Incerta (ZIc), suggesting a functional specialization in the rock cavy. The high resolution and qualitative analysis of retinal fibers in the present work provide a substrate to interpretation of the visual system, and its phylogenetic pathways among species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology/Laboratory of Neuroanatomy, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Leonardo Araújo
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: de Góis Morais
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology/Laboratory of Neuroanatomy, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Melquisedec Abiaré Dantas
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Santana
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology/Laboratory of Neuroanatomy, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Judney Cley
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology/Laboratory of Neuroanatomy, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Miriam Stela Maris
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology/Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jeferson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sousa Cavalcante
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology/Laboratory of Neuroanatomy, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil. Electronic address: expeditojr@cb.ufrn.br.
authors.forename: Expedito Silva
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D008297:Male; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000166:cytology*; D065820:Zona Incerta / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D002772:Cholera Toxin
keywords: Cholera toxin subunit b; Incerto-tectal pathway; Retinal projections; Rock cavy; Rodents; Zona Incerta