Visualization of dendritic morphology of cortical projection neurons by retrograde axonal tracing

Single Purkinje cell can innervate multiple classes of projection neurons in the cerebellar nuclei of the rat: a light microscopic and ultrastructural triple-tracer study in the rat

Two different populations of projection neurons are intermingled in the cerebellar nuclei. One group consists of small, gamma-aminobutyric acid-containing (GABAergic) neurons that project to the inferior olive, and the other group consists of larger, non-GABAergic neurons that provide an input to one or more, usually premotor, centers in the brainstem, such as the red nucleus, the thalamus, and the superior colliculus. All cerebellar nuclear neurons are innervated by GABAergic Purkinje cells. In this study, we investigated whether individual Purkinje cells of the C1 zone of the paramedian lobe of the rat innervate both groups of projection neurons in the anterior interposed nucleus. Two different, retrogradely transported tracers, either cholera toxin beta subunit (CTb) or wheat germ agglutinin coupled to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) and a gold lectin tracer were injected into the red nucleus and the inferior olive, respectively, whereas Purkinje cell axons were anterogradely labeled with biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) injected into the paramedian lobule. Cerebellar nuclear sections studied with the light microscope demonstrated a close relation of varicosities from BDA-labeled Purkinje cell axons with both gold lectin- and CTb-labeled neurons. Branches of individual axons could be traced to both retrogradely labeled cell populations. At the ultrastructural level, synapses of labeled Purkinje cell terminals with profiles of WGA-HRP-labeled projection neurons predominated over contacts with gold lectin-containing neurons. Nine out of 367 investigated BDA-labeled terminals were observed to be presynaptic to a WGA-HRP-labeled profile as well as to a gold lectin-labeled profile. This indicates that nuclear cells that project to the inferior olive as well as those that project to premotor centers are under the influence of the same Purkinje cells. Such an arrangement would suggest an in-phase cortical modulation of the activation patterns of the inhibitory cells that project to the inferior olive and excitatory cells that project to premotor nuclei, which could explain why olivary neurons, especially those of the rostral part of the dorsal accessory olive, appear to be unresponsive to stimuli generated during active movement.

Brainstem neurons projecting to the rostral ventral respiratory group (VRG) in the medulla oblongata of the rat revealed by co-application of NMDA and biocytin

Groups of neurons in the medulla and pons are essential for the rhythm generation, pattern formation and modulation of respiration. The rostral Ventral Respiratory Group (rVRG) is thought to be a crucial area for rhythm generation. Here we co-applied biocytin and NMDA in the rVRG to label retrogradely brainstem neurons reciprocally connected to a population of inspiratory neurons in the rat rVRG. The procedure excited rVRG neurons in multi-unit recordings and led to a Golgi-like labelling of distant cells presumably excited by efferents from the rVRG. Injection of biocytin without NMDA did not label neurons in distant structures. Several brainstem ipsi- and contralateral structures were found to project to the rVRG, but three major respiratory-related structures, the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), the parabrachialis medialis and Kölliker-Fuse nuclei (PB/KF) and the caudal VRG, which are known to project bilaterally to the rVRG, were exclusively labelled ipsilaterally, suggesting an ipsilateral excitation of these structures by the rVRG. The pathways of efferent axons from labelled neurons in the rVRG were traced rostrally towards the pons and caudally to the spinal cord. Terminal axonal arborizations were seen in the same regions where retrogradely filled neurons were found as well as in a few other motor nuclei (the dorsal vagal motor nucleus and XII nucleus). Moreover, in the NTS and the PB/KF, efferent terminal varicosities were seen closely apposed to the soma and proximal dendrites of labelled neurons, suggesting monosynaptic connections between the rVRG and these nuclei.

The ventrolateral periaqueductal gray projects to caudal brainstem depressor regions: a functional-anatomical and physiological study

The reaction of shock, a precipitous, life-threatening fall in arterial pressure and heart rate, is evoked often by the combination of deep pain and blood loss following traumatic injury. A similar "shock-like" pattern of response can be evoked by excitation of the ventrolateral midbrain periaqueductal gray. Further, ventrolateral periaqueductal gray neurons are selectively activated by deep somatic or visceral pain and haemorrhage. The pathways mediating ventrolateral periaqueductal gray evoked hypotension and bradycardia are not known. In this study, the projections from the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray to "cardiovascular" regions in the caudal medulla of the rat were examined. Injections of the anterograde tracer, biotinylated dextran amine at physiologically-defined, ventrolateral periaqueductal gray depressor sites, revealed strong projections to the caudal midline medulla and to the depressor region of the caudal ventrolateral medulla. Injections of excitatory amino acids established that substantial falls in arterial pressure could be evoked from the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray-recipient parts of the caudal midline medulla. Injections of the retrograde tracer, cholera toxin subunit B at physiologically-defined, depressor sites in the caudal midline medulla and the caudal ventrolateral medulla confirmed the existence of substantial projections from the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray. Although previous studies have emphasized the importance of projections from the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray to the pressor region of the rostral ventrolateral medulla, this study has revealed the existence of strong ventrolateral periaqueductal gray projections to depressor regions within the caudal medulla (caudal midline medulla and caudal ventrolateral medulla) which likely contribute to ventrolateral periaqueductal gray-mediated hypotension and bradycardia.

A polysynaptic feedback circuit in rat visual cortex

Feedback connections from extrastriate cortex to primary visual cortex (V1) in the primate may provide "top-down" information that plays a role in visual attention and object recognition. Our work in a rodent model of corticocortical circuitry demonstrates that feedback pathways synapse preferentially with pyramidal cells in V1 () and favor excitation over inhibition in cortical microcircuits (). To investigate the polysynaptic circuits activated by feedback inputs, we studied chains of neurons postsynaptic to feedback connections using a combination of axonal tract tracing and anterograde degeneration. This approach enabled independent labeling of local collaterals of forward-projecting neurons in V1 and feedback connections from extrastriate lateromedial (LM) visual area to V1. Postsynaptic targets were identified in the electron microscope after retrograde transport of biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) to identify dendrites of forward-projecting neurons (i.e., from V1 to LM) and postembedding immunogold labeling to identify GABAergic interneurons. The results show that feedback connections provide strong monosynaptic input to forward-projecting neurons in V1. These neurons in turn make local connections that preferentially form synapses with other pyramidal cells ( approximately 97%), many of which were identified as forward-projecting neurons. This indicates that feedback pathways provide input directly to neurons which make the reciprocal forward connection, and that feedback-recipient forward-projecting neurons are strongly interconnected. The function of these excitatory networks within V1 may be to amplify feedback activity and provide a circuit for modulation of striate cortical activity by top-down influences.

Spinal afferents to functionally distinct periaqueductal gray columns in the rat: an anterograde and retrograde tracing study

The segmental and laminar organization of spinal projections to the functionally distinct ventrolateral (vlPAG) and lateral periaqueductal gray (lPAG) columns was examined by using retrograde and anterograde tracing techniques. It was found 1) that spinal input to both vlPAG and lPAG columns arose predominantly from neurons in the upper cervical (C1-4) and sacral spinal cord; 2) that there was a topographical separation of vl-PAG projecting and lPAG-projecting neurons within the upper cervical spinal cord; but 3) that below spinal segment C4, vlPAG-projecting and lPAG-projecting spinal neurons were similarly distributed, predominantly within contralateral lamina I, the nucleus of the dorsolateral fasciculus (the lateral spinal nucleus) and the lateral (reticular) part of lamina V. Consistent with the retrograde results, the greatest density of anterograde label, within both the vlPAG and lPAG, was found after tracer injections made either in the superficial or deep dorsal horn of the upper cervical spinal cord. Tracer injections made within the thoraco-lumbar spinal cord revealed that the vlPAG column received a convergent input from both the superficial and deep dorsal horn. However, thoraco-lumbar input to the lPAG was found to arise uniquely from the superficial dorsal horn; whereas the deep dorsal horn was found to innervate the "juxta-aqueductal" PAG region rather than projecting to the lPAG. These findings suggest that similar to spino-parabrachial projections, spinal projections to the lPAG (and juxta-aqueductal PAG) are topographically organised, with distinct subgroups of spinal neurons projecting to specific lPAG or juxta-aqueductal PAG subregions. In contrast, the vlPAG receives a convergent spinal input which arises from the superficial and deep dorsal horn of cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spinal segments.

'Semifree-floating' treatment: a simple and fast method to process consecutive sections for immunohistochemistry and neuronal tracing

A method is described which allows for histochemical processing of thick (50-200 microm) and consecutive sections of neural tissue, a prerequisite for many neuroanatomical studies. Two examples are given: (A) biotin-dextran-amine (BDA) tracing of neuronal connections in 50-100 microm thick vibratome sections of the adult rat brain and (B) immunohistochemical analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive bulbospinal fibers in 50 microm thick cryosections of spinal cord.

Vital staining from dye-coated microprobes identifies new olfactory interneurons for optical and electrical recording

A versatile technique for dye application in living tissue is described, which results in labeling of viable cells from which electrophysiological or optical recordings can be obtained. The dye-coated surface of a glass microelectrode tip is used to apply anatomical tracers or calcium sensitive probes with spatial precision. A total of three types of dyes have been applied in this way to find and record from olfactory interneurons in the terrestrial mollusc Limax maximus. Crystals of 1,1'-didodecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) formed on the tips of glass microelectrodes were placed in the procerebral lobe, the major olfactory processing center of Limax. Somata in buccal and pedal ganglia with processes extending several 100 microm to the procerebral lobe were stained within 4-6 h. Intracellular recordings from DiI stained buccal (B(PC)) and pedal (P(PC)) cells were obtained. Cross correlograms of the oscillatory field potential in the procerebral lobe and spontaneous action potentials in P(PC) or B(PC) show that P(PC) activity is weakly coupled to the oscillation in the procerebral lobe, while B(PC) activity is clearly coupled to the oscillation. Stimulation of the procerebral lobe with nitric oxide activated P(PC) cells but suppressed activity in B(PC) cells. Calcium green-10Kdextran coated electrodes were used to place calcium green in the cell body layer of the procerebral lobe. Bursting and nonbursting procerebral neurons incorporated and transported the calcium green-dextran. Optical recordings of changes in fluorescence signals from several bursting cells recorded simultaneously were used to test alternative mechanisms of bursting cell coupling. Application of biotin 3Kdextran to the midline of the cerebral ganglion revealed a group of cells in each procerebral lobe with processes crossing the midline of the cerebral ganglion. These cells may couple right and left procerebral lobe activity during odor processing.

The course of neural projection from the prefrontal cortex to the nucleus accumbens in the rat

Corticostriatal neurons linking the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens connect the terminal fields of the ascending mesotelencephalic dopamine neurons and may potentially mediate cortical dopaminergic modulation of subcortical dopamine transmission. In our attempt to develop a brain slice preparation that maximally preserves this prefrontal accumbens pathway for in vitro electrophysiological studies, knowledge of the complete course of its projection is critical. Microinjection of biotin-dextran amine as an anterograde tracer into the prefrontal cortex revealed the following in the coronal, sagittal and oblique planes of rat brain. (1) Axonal fibers from the rostral prelimbic cortex projected at an angle of approximately 60 degrees to the horizontal plane through the infralimbic region and mainly entered the rostromedial accumbens. Some also chose a ventral route to enter the "core" of the accumbens. (2) From the central ventral prelimbic regions, axons spread out diffusely and descended to the dorsal accumbens. They then entered throughout the rostral-caudal "shell" of the nucleus accumbens. (3) From the caudal prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex, axonal fibers descended approximately 10 degrees to the coronal plane and entered the dorsal nucleus accumbens and the caudate nucleus. The denser caudate-projecting fibers gave rise to collaterals that entered the accumbens "core". These results suggest that brain slices that preserve the rostral prelimbic-medial accumbens pathway can be obtained by an oblique (approximately 60 degrees) cut, whereas preservation of the caudal prefrontal-accumbens neurons necessitates a 10 degrees cut. Finally, in whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of accumbens neurons in such slices, orthodromically evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials to deep layer prefrontal cortical stimulation were observed, thus confirming the functional preservation of portions of this prefrontal cortex nucleus accumbens pathway.

Microcircuitry of forward and feedback connections within rat visual cortex

Visual cortex in mammals is composed of many distinct areas that are linked by reciprocal connections to form a multilevel hierarchy. Ascending information is sent via forward connections from lower to higher areas and is thought to contribute to the emergence of increasingly complex receptive field properties at higher levels. Descending signals are transmitted via feedback connections from higher to lower areas and are believed to provide information about the context in which a stimulus appears, to contribute to modulation of visual responses by attention, and to play a role in memory processes. To determine whether forward and feedback pathways in rat visual cortex constitute distinct intracortical circuits, we have studied the distribution of reciprocal corticocortical inputs to pyramidal cells and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons. For this purpose, we chose forward and feedback connections between primary visual cortex and the secondary extrastriate lateromedial (LM) area as a model system. Pathways were traced with the axonal marker phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin. Labeled terminals were identified in the electron microscope, and GABA immunocytochemistry was used to identify the postsynaptic dendritic shafts of GABAergic interneurons. In both pathways, inputs to pyramidal cells were directed preferentially to dendritic spines and not to shafts. In the forward pathway, 90% of labeled inputs were distributed to pyramidal cells and 10% to interneurons. This proportion was similar to that of nearby unlabeled connections in the neuropil, indicating that forward connections are not selective for pyramidal cells or interneurons. In sharp contrast, feedback connections were significantly different from the unlabeled connections and supplied almost exclusively pyramidal cells (98%). Feedback inputs to GABAergic neurons were five times weaker (2%) relative to the forward direction. These structural differences suggest that disynaptic GABAergic inhibition is much stronger in forward than in feedback pathways. Recent physiological experiments have confirmed this prediction (Shao et al. [1995] Soc. Neurosci. Abstr., 21:1274) and we, therefore, conclude that relatively small anatomical differences in the microcircuitry can have important functional consequences. It remains an open question whether generally reciprocal interareal circuits at all levels of the cortical hierarchy are organized in similar fashion.

Improved retrograde axonal transport and subsequent visualization of tetramethylrhodamine (TMR) -dextran amine by means of an acidic injection vehicle and antibodies against TMR

We studied the ability of various dextran amines (DA) to retrogradely label cortical neurons to the full extent of their dendritic configurations. Corticothalamic neurons were labeled by pressure injection of DA into the ventrobasal thalamic nuclei of the rat brain. Of fluorescein-, Texas Red-, Cascade Blue- and tetramethylrhodamine (TMR)-DAs of MW 3000 and TMR-DA of MW 10,000, neurons were most efficiently labeled with TMR-DA of MW 3000. The use of acidic vehicles (pH 1-3) for dissolving TMR-DA enhanced the retrograde labeling, as compared with that of a neutral vehicle. The retrograde labeling with TMR-DA was more clearly demonstrated by using anti-TMR antibodies; the indirect immunofluorescence method with a rhodamine-conjugated secondary antibody and immunoperoxidase method with a peroxidase anti-peroxidase (PAP) complex revealed that the dendrites of many corticothalamic neurons were filled with TMR-DA. The Golgi-like retrograde labeling of TMR-DA visualized by the PAP immunoperoxidase method was comparable with that of biotinylated DA by the avidin-biotinylated peroxidase complex method. Similar Golgi-like dendritic staining was observed among corticospinal neurons after injection of TMR-DA into the corticospinal tract of the spinal cord. Most apical dendrites of corticospinal neurons extended into layer I, whereas those of corticothalamic neurons ended in layer IV or the deep part of layer III. The TMR-DA injection under acidic conditions and immunostaining with the anti-TMR antibodies are considered to be a useful method to visualize the dendrite configuration of cortical projection neurons.

A modification of biotinylated dextran amine histochemistry for labeling the developing mammalian brain

Biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) has proven to be an excellent anterograde tracer in adult mammalian brains, having some advantages over other anterograde tracers such as Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) and biocytin. However, results are inferior when BDA is used in neonatal mammals. To improve the sensitivity and quality of BDA labeling in neonatal mammalian brains, the tetramethylbenzidine-sodium tungstate (TMB-ST) method for horseradish peroxidase (HRP) histochemistry was modified and used in BDA histochemistry. After BDA application to the visual cortex of neonatal rat and cat, contralateral and ipsilateral cortical and subcortical regions were examined for BDA-labeled exons and terminals. The modified BDA histochemistry produced corpus callosum (CC) axons in neonatal rat and cat that were heavily and continuously labeled. The distribution, trajectories, branching and termination of individual CC axons, and even possible axon-axon contracts, were clearly identified in exquisite detail, even at low magnification. The quality of BDA labeling in the ipsilateral lateral geniculate nucleus and superior colliculus was similar to that of the CC axonal labeling. These results indicate that the modified BDA histochemistry provides a very sensitive and reliable approach to revealing the detailed distribution and morphology of projecting axons and terminals in the developing mammalian nervous system.