Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Structure of physiologically classified neurones in the kitten dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus

Abstract

The mammalian forebrain, including the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd)and the visual cortex, continues both structural and functional development postnatally and is therefore a useful model for the study of developmental processes in the central nervous system (CNS). We report here the first description and comparison of the structural development of individual, functionally identified neurones in the mammalian forebrain. This comparison is made for the three main cell groups of the central visual pathways (W-, X- and Y-cells), in the neonate and the adult. In the adult, these three classes of neurones have different characteristic electrophysiological properties1–9 and relay information in parallel about different features of a visual scene8,9 from the retina through the LGNd to the visual cortex. In addition, each of the three functional cell types has a characteristic structure in the adult10,11. By injection of the enzyme marker substance, horseradish peroxi-dase, into electrophysiologically identified neurones, the present study demonstrates that each of these functional classes of neurones also has a characteristic morphology in the neonate (in the LGNd of kitten 3–4 postnatal weeks of age). However, striking differences in the rates of maturation are seen. The W-cells are already mature at this age. The X-cells are the least developed. Surprisingly, some Y-cells are mature. Due to the susceptibility of Y-cells to an abnormal visual environment during development12–18, they had previously been thought to be slower to mature.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Enroth-Cugell, C. & Robson, R. G. J. Physiol., Lond. 187, 517–552 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Cleland, B. G., Dubin, M. W. & Levick, W. R. J. Physioi, Lond. 217, 473–496 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hoffmann, K.-P., Stone, J. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 518–531 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hochstein, S. & Shapley, R. M. J. Physiol., Lond. 262, 237–264 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hochstein, S. & Shapley, R. M. J. Physiol., Lond. 262, 265–284 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Stevens, J. K. & Gerstein, G. L. J. Neurophysiol. 39, 213–238 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Wilson, P. D., Rowe, M. H. & Stone, J. J. Neurophysiol. 39, 1193–1209 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Lehmkuhle, S., Kratz, K. E., Mangel, S. C. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 43, 520–541 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sur, M. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 47, 869–884 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Friedlander, M. J., Lin, C.-S., Stanford, L. R. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 46, 80–129 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Stanford, L. R., Friedlander, M. J. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurosci. 1, 578–584 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Sherman, S. M., Hoffman, K.-P. & Stone, J. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 532–541 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kratz, K. E., Webb, S. V. & Sherman, S. M. J. comp. Neurol. 181, 615–625 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Mower, G. D., Burchfiel, J. L. & Duffy, F. H. Devl Brain Res. 1, 418–424 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Zetlan, S. R., Spear, P. D. & Geisert, E. E. Vision Res. 21, 1035–1039 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Friedlander, M. J. & Stanford, L. R. Invest. Ophthal. vis. Sci. 22(3), 236 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Friedlander, M. H., Stanford, L. R. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurosci. 2, 321–330 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Geisert, E. E., Spear, P. D., Zetlan, S. R. & Langsetmo, A. J. Neurosci. 2, 577–588 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Adams, J. C. Neuroscience 2, 141–145 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Daniels, J. N., Pettigrew, J. D. & Norman, J. L. J. Neurophysiol. 41, 1394–1417 (1978).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Mason, C. A. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 7, 675 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Friedlander, M. J. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 7, 140 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Hamasaki, I. I. & Sutija, V. G. Expl Brain Res. 35, 9–23 (1979).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Rusoff, A. C. & Dubin, M. W. J. Neurophysiol. 40, 1188–1198 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Garey, L. J., Fisken, R. A. & Powell, T. P. S. Brain Res. 52, 359–362 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hickey, T. L. J. comp. Neurol. 189, 467–482 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Kalil, R. J. comp. Neurol. 189, 483–524 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Guillery, R. W. J. comp. Neurol. 144, 117–130 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Le Vay, S., Wiesel, T. N. & Hubel, D. H. J. comp. Neurol. 191, 1–51 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Friedlander, M. Structure of physiologically classified neurones in the kitten dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Nature 300, 180–183 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/300180a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/300180a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing