Abstract
IN earlier studies of central nervous fibre tracts, it was tacitly assumed that individual axons are relatively uniform along their length. In the retinofugal pathway in particular, axon diameter, myelin thickness and correlated conduction properties1,2 have been treated as constant throughout the optic nerve, chiasm and tract. We report here that the conduction velocities of fibres contributing to the early components of the compound action potential are significantly greater in the optic tract than in the optic nerve of ferrets, and also that the diameters of the largest retinofugal fibres increase from nerve to tract3. This observation raises significant questions about the developmental mechanisms in the central nervous system that relate the axons, their diameters, and the glia with which they are myelinated. In addition, it indicates that studies that have relied on the constancy of conduction velocity along the retinofugal course4 may require reappraisal.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hursh, J. P. Am. J. Physiol. 127, 131–139 (1939).
Waxman, S. G. & Swadlow, H. A. Prog. Neurobiol. 8, 297–324 (1977).
Baker, G. E. & Guillery, R. W. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 14, 992 (1988).
Stanford, L. R. Science 238, 358–360 (1987).
Bishop, P. O. & Mcleod, J. G. J. Neurophysiol. 17, 387–414 (1954).
Bishop, P. O., Jeremy, D. & Lance, J. W. J. Physiol. Lond. 121, 415–432 (1953).
Chang, H. T. J. Neurophysiol. 19, 224–231 (1956).
Erhlanger, J. & Gasser, H. S. Electrical Signs of Nervous Activity 2nd edn (University Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1968)
Cleland, B. G., Dubin, M. W. & Levick, W. R. J. Physiol. Lond. 217, 473–496 (1971).
Stone, J. & Fukuda, Y. J. Neurophysiol. 37, 722–748 (1974).
Stone, J. & Hoffman, K-P. Brain Res. 43, 610–616 (1972).
Stone, J. & Freeman, R. B. Expl Brain Res. 13, 489–497 (1971).
Sumitomo, I., Ide, K., Iwama, K. & Arikuni, T. Exp. Neurol. 25, 378–392 (1969).
Ranck, J. B. Brain Res. 98, 417–440 (1975).
Cleland, B. G., Levick, W. R. & Wassle, H. J. Physiol., Lond. 248, 151–171 (1975).
Rowe, M. H. & Stone, J. Exp. Brain Res. 25, 339–357 (1976).
Rowe, M. H. & Stone, J. Brain Behav. Evol. 14, 185–216 (1977).
Bishop, G. H., Clare, M. H. & Landau, W. M. Exp. Neurol. 24, 386–399 (1969).
Stone, J. & Fukuda, Y. J. Neurophysiol. 37, 722–748 (1974).
Guillery, R. W. & Walsh, C. J. comp. Neurol. 265, 203–217 (1987).
Raff, M. C. Science 243, 1450–1455 (1989).
Baker, G. E. Eur. J. Neurosci. 2, 24–33 (1990).
Simpson, S. A. & Young, J. Z. J. Anat. 79, 48–65 (1945).
Friede, R. L. J. comp. Neurol. 144, 233–252 (1972).
Windebank, A. J., Wood, P., Bunge, R. P. & Dyck, P. J. J. Neurosci. 5, 1563–1569 (1985).
Pannese, E., Ledda, M. & Matsuda, S. J. Neurocytol. 17, 693–700 (1988).
Fraher, J. P. J. Anat. 126, 509–533 (1978).
Traub, R. J. & Mendell, L. M. J. Neurophysiol. 59, 41–55 (1988).
Maxwell, D. S., Kruger, L. & Pineda, A. Anat. Rec. 164, 113–126 (1969).
Zahs, K. & Stryker, M. P. J. comp. Neurol. 241, 210–224 (1985).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baker, G., Stryker, M. Retinofugal fibres change conduction velocity and diameter between the optic nerve and tract in ferrets. Nature 344, 342–345 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/344342a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/344342a0
This article is cited by
-
Importin 13-dependent axon diameter growth regulates conduction speeds along myelinated CNS axons
Nature Communications (2024)
-
Dark Rearing in the Visual Critical Period Causes Structural Changes in Myelinated Axons in the Adult Mouse Visual Pathway
Neurochemical Research (2022)
-
Multiple synaptic connections into a single cortical pyramidal cell or interneuron in the anterior cingulate cortex of adult mice
Molecular Brain (2021)
-
Three dimensional electron microscopy reveals changing axonal and myelin morphology along normal and partially injured optic nerves
Scientific Reports (2018)
-
Mean retinal ganglion cell axon diameter varies with location in the human retina
Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology (2012)
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.