Development of the spinocerebellar system in the postnatal rat

Zonation in the rat cerebellar cortex: patches of high acetylcholinesterase activity in the granular layer are congruent with Purkinje cell compartments

The rat cerebellar cortex is built from parasagittally arranged modules with topographically ordered afferent and efferent projections. The intrinsic organization of the cerebellum is revealed by immunocytochemical staining with monoclonal antibody, mabQ113. In the cerebellum, mabQ113 recognizes a polypeptide epitope that is restricted to a subset of Purkinje cells. Antigenic Purkinje cells are clustered to form a complex pattern of parasagittal compartments. Several biochemical markers reveal a superficially similar organization of the cortex, and so it is important to determine how many independent maps are present. This report compares the mabQ113 antigen display to the patchy distribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In the granular layer and the white matter of the adult cerebellar cortex there is a patchy AChE staining that includes both the hemispheres and the vermis. The staining is often not sharply resolved cytologically, but seems to be associated primarily with the synaptic glomeruli. The boundaries of these granular layer patches in the vermis correspond to the mabQ113+/mabQ113- boundaries of the overlying Purkinje cell compartments. Thus, AChE and mabQ113 antigen share a common compartmentation both in the vermis, and in the hemispheres. Both mabQ113 and AChE distributions develop postnatally in the cerebellar cortex. At birth (PO) there is neither AChE activity nor mabQ113 immunoreactivity. Both staining patterns emerge during the second postnatal week. In the vermis at P10, there is AChE activity in the granular layer and white matter, and the distribution is already patchy despite the absence of synaptic glomeruli. At the same age the mabQ113 immunoreactivity is found in all Purkinje cells rather than a subset, and the band pattern has yet to mature. There is also transient AChE staining of Purkinje cell somata and dendrites. The AChE patches clarify between P10 and P20 along with the appearance of the synaptic glomeruli and the development of differential mabQ113 staining, but there is no reason to believe that the two are causally linked. In contrast to the cerebellar cortex, AChE staining in the cerebellar nuclei matures very early and at P0 the activity is already high. Zones of high and low AChE activity are seen in all the cerebellar nuclei and may be related to the distribution of the terminal fields of the different Purkinje cell populations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Parasagittal organization of mossy fiber collaterals in the cerebellum of the mouse

We have observed that WGA-HRP injections in lobule VIII of the mouse result in the labeling of mossy fiber terminals in the anterior lobe (lobules I-V), which are distributed in five distinct parasagittal bands. Injections in the anterior lobe label mossy fiber terminations in lobules VIII and IX. We interpret these results as indicating that an extensive system of mossy fiber collaterals exists between the anterior lobe and lobule VIII (less so to IX), which terminates as discrete parasagittal bands in the anterior lobe. Intermediate bands are thus occupied by fibers that do not send collaterals to the posterior vermis (VII-IX). In an attempt to identify the source(s) of this collateral system we have used double retrograde tracing techniques. Following injections of one tracer in the anterior lobe and another in lobule VIII we observe large numbers of double retrogradely labeled neurons in the lateral reticular nucleus, the basilar pontine nuclei, and the spinal cord. Thus, these mossy fiber sources are the most likely origins for the banded collateral system. Our studies do not allow us to distinguish whether one, or more than one, of these regions contribute to the system.

The cellular neurobiology of neuronal development: the cerebellar granule cell

Cerebellar granule cells in vivo and in vitro have been widely used in the study of the cellular neurobiology of neuronal development. We have described the basic neuroanatomical data on the granule cell in the developing and mature cerebellum. The importance of the cytoskeleton in determining the morphology of the granule cell and in process outgrowth and cell migration has been described. Extensive information is now available on the composition of the granule cell cytoskeleton. Cell surface glycoproteins are thought to be involved in the control of cell adhesion and cellular interactions during development. A number of surface molecules belonging to either the N-CAM or the Ng-CAM groups of glycoproteins have been studied in detail in the cerebellum. The role of these proteins in cell adhesion and in granule cell-astroglial interactions during granule cell migration has been reviewed. The survival and differentiation of neurones is controlled by soluble trophic factors. Several factors have been described which act as trophic factors for granule cells in vitro and may do the same in vivo. The numerous studies that have been carried out on the cerebellar granule cell have allowed us to describe certain aspects of the cellular neurobiology of this class of neurones as an example with general significance for the understanding of neuronal differentiation and function.

Observations on the development of cerebellar afferents in Xenopus laevis

The development of cerebellar afferents has been studied in the clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, from stage 46 to 64, with the horseradish peroxidase retrograde tracer technique. Already in stage 48 tadpoles, i.e. before the formation of the limbs, a distinct set of cerebellar afferents was found. Vestibulocerebellar (mainly arising bilaterally in the nucleus vestibularis caudalis) and contralateral olivo-cerebellar projections dominate. Secondary trigeminocerebellar (from the descending nucleus of the trigeminal nerve) and reticulocerebellar connections were also found. At stage 50, spinocerebellar projections appear originating from cervical and lower thoracic/upper lumbar levels. The cells of origin of the spinocerebellar projection can be roughly divided in two neuronal types: ipsilaterally projecting large cells, which show a marked resemblance to primary motoneurones ('spinal border cells') and smaller contralaterally projecting neurons. Primary spinocerebellar projections from spinal ganglion cells could not be demonstrated. At stage 50, a possible anuran homologue of the mammalian nucleus prepositus hypoglossi was found to project to the cerebellum. In only one of the experiments labeled neurons were found in the contralateral mesencephalic tegmentum. At none of the studied stages a raphecerebellar projection could be demonstrated. It appears that already early in cerebellar development, before the formation of the limbs, most of the cerebellar afferents as found in adult Xenopus laevis are present.

Cajal-Smirnow ansiform fibers in the molecular layer of the rat cerebellar cortex

The present light and electron microscopic study deals with the morphology and organization of Cajal-Smirnow ansiform fibers (AFs) in the molecular layer of the cerebellar cortex. The cerebella of normal adult rats were processed with Cajal's reduced silver method and conventional electron microscopy. With the silver method AFs appear as isolated elements or, more frequently, as small bundles of myelinated fibers, which emerge from the medullary rays, ascend through the granular, Purkinje cell and molecular layers and curve back to reenter the granular layer or cerebellar white matter. They traced an arciform trajectory of variable width and height in the molecular layer. Relatively large bundles of AFs were rarely found. The occurrence of AFs was confirmed in semithin sections as myelinated fibers of variable diameter ranging from 1 to 6 micron. Oligodendrocytes were often observed near AFs. At the ultrastructural level, the most common type of AF is large, with a relatively thin myelin sheath and a moderately dense axoplasm. Nodal or terminal synaptic differentiations were not observed. We suggest that AFs are misoriented cerebellar mossy fibers and their occurrence may be the consequence of a small-scale error in the axonal guidance of growing mossy fibers.

Pathway formation and the terminal distribution pattern of the spinocerebellar projection in the chick embryo

Pathway formation and the terminal distribution pattern of spinocerebellar fibers in the chick embryo were examined by means of an anterograde labelling technique with wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP). Spinocerebellar fibers, which originate in the lumbar spinal cord and are located in the marginal layer of the spinal cord, reach the dorsal part of the cerebellar plate on embryonic day (E)8. On the way to the cerebellum the fibers form one distinct bundle, that suggests that gross projection errors probably do not occur during the formation of the spinocerebellar pathway. On E10, labelled fibers are located mostly in the medullary zone of the anterior lobe. By E12, the number of labelled fibers increases greatly in the inner granular and molecular layers. In transverse sections labelling was distributed throughout the mediolateral extent of the medullary zone. By E14, sagittal strips of labelling were clearly recognized in lobules II-IV; however, labelled terminals were present throughout lobule I. Although the adult pattern of terminal distribution is attained by E14, the mossy fiber terminals are still quite immature. The density of labelling decreased greatly by E16, and small terminal varicosities were first recognized. Structural differentiation of mossy fiber terminals continues to the end of the embryonic or the newly posthatched period.

The terminal distribution pattern of spinocerebellar fibers. An anterograde labelling study in the posthatching chick

The terminal fields of spinocerebellar fibers from different levels (cervical, thoracic and lumbar) of the spinal cord in the chick were determined by using wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP), an anterograde labelling technique. More terminals were found in the anterior lobe than in the posterior lobe. Following injections in the lumbar spinal cord, mossy fiber terminals were found mostly in the anterior lobe (lobules I-V). The highest density of labelled terminals was found in lobule I, and labelled terminals were found in all parts of the lobule. However in lobules II-IV, labelled fibers were mediolaterally arranged in three longitudinal strips on both sides of the midline, and formed a distinct zonal distribution pattern. Labelled terminals were distributed evenly from the apical to basal regions of lobules I-V. A large number of mossy fiber terminals originating from the thoracic spinal cord were located in the anterior lobe and lobule VI; some labelled terminals were found in lobule IX. Three less distinct longitudinal strips, compared to those following WGA-HRP injections in the lumbar spinal cord, were recognized on each side of the midline. Labelled mossy terminals were observed in lobules II-IX following WGA-HRP injections in the cervical spinal cord. In transverse sections two longitudinal strips were found at the apical parts of lobules II and III, whereas four thin longitudinal strips were located in lobules IV and V. The present study showed that the terminal fields of spinocerebellar fibers from each level of the spinal cord have different distribution patterns.

Neuronal maturation in the normal and hypothyroid rat cerebellar cortex studied with monoclonal antibody MIT-23

By immunocytochemistry we have studied the expression of the mitochondria-associated polypeptide MIT-23 during the postnatal development of the normal and hypothyroid rat cerebellar cortex, in afferent fibers, and also in neurons of the cerebellar nuclei. The glial cells are never immunoreactive. In all neurons of the cerebellar cortex, MIT-23 expression always occurs after the final mitosis and migration are complete, and persists throughout adult life. Almost all MIT-23 expression begins postnatally. A few Purkinje cells are already immunoreactive at birth and the rest begin expression during the following two days. Immunoreactive Golgi and granule cells are found from postnatal day 4 (P4), basket cells from P10, and stellate cells from P16. Purkinje cells from different anteroposterior regions of the vermis express different levels of MIT-23 with higher staining intensities in lobules I to IV. These differences appear early in development and are retained in the adult. MIT-23 expression in the hypothyroid cerebellar cortex differs from that in control animals only in minor ways. However, sections immunoperoxidase-stained with anti-MIT-23 antibody reveal that, in addition to previously reported alterations in cerebellar development due to a shortage of thyroid hormones, Purkinje cell axonal development is slowed down in the hypothyroid condition, and occasional Purkinje cells in normal and especially in hypothyroid animals have their somata and or dendrites in ectopic locations. Analysis of these cells reveals a preferential direction of dendritic trunk growth in the direction of the molecular layer. Furthermore, secondary branching of ectopic dendrites is confined exclusively to the developing molecular layer, as in normal Purkinje cells, thus suggesting that neither the mature nor immature granule cell environment is sufficient to sustain normal dendritic development.

Spinocerebellar projections from the thoracic cord in the cat, as studied by anterograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase

The projection fields of the spinocerebellar tracts arising from thoracic segments were studied by the anterograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin bound to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) in the cat. Following injections of WGA-HRP into upper and middle thoracic segments, labeled mossy fiber terminals were seen in all lobules of the anterior lobe, lobules VI, VIII, and IX, soblobule VIIb, the paramedian lobule, medial parts of the dorsal paraflocculus, crus I, crus II, and the simple lobule. In the anterior lobe labeled terminals in sublobules IIb-Vb accounted for about 50-60% of the total labeled terminals, of which about 14-18% were present in lobule III and 11-13% were present in lobule IV. The labeled terminals were concentrated within 1.0-1.5 mm from the midline in the vermal region, accounting for about 45-75% of the total in each sublobule. Following injections into lower thoracic segments, labeled terminals tended to distribute more numerously in the lateral part of the vermis and the intermediate region. In the posterior lobe about 5% of the total labeled terminals were distributed in lobules VI and VIII, respectively, and about 16-23% were in the paramedian lobule (mainly sublobules B and C). Cases with injections preceded by a lateral cordotomy have shown that about 65% of the total labeled terminals in each lobule of the anterior lobe were distributed ipsilaterally and 35%, contralaterally. In the paramedian lobule the labeled terminals were distributed predominantly ipsilaterally. Projection fields in the horizontal plane were reconstructed from a series of transverse sections through each lobule. In lobules III and IV the labeled terminals were distributed in nine areas: areas 1-4 in the vermis and areas 5-9 in the intermediate-lateral regions. The two medial areas 1 and 2 were located within 0.5 mm from the midline in zone A1 of Voogd and area 3 appeared to be located in zone A2. Area 4 was located between 0.75 and 1.5 mm in the medial part of zone B. These areas extended longitudinally in the middle part of the apicobasal extent. The five areas in the intermediate-lateral regions were localized in the basal part of the lobule: area 5 in zone C1, areas 6-8 in zones C2 and C3, and area 9 in zone D. Some of these projection areas were identified also in lobules I, II, and V.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The timing of granule cell differentiation and mossy fiber morphogenesis in the opossum

The timing of developmental events may be important for the orderly formation of neuronal interconnections. In the present study, the timing of granule cell migration is compared with the arrival and maturation of mossy fiber projections. The opossum was chosen as the experimental animal because its protracted postnatal development enables the examination of developmental sequences not as easily recognized in other more commonly used mammalian species. It is shown that all areas that project to the cerebellum as mossy fibers in the adult opossum do so by postnatal day (PD) 30. Their major target, the granule cells begin inward migration from the external germinal layer (EGL) prior to PD 30, but do not form a distinct internal granular layer (IGL) until PD 35. Migrating granule cells penetrate into the IGL deep to granule cells that have begun dendritic differentiation. By PD 50, Golgi impregnations reveal that many granule cells have numerous immature processes, somal spines and dendritic growth cones. After this age these structures are rare and the vast majority of granule cells exhibit short dendrites with digiform endings. Dendritic differentiation subsequent to PD 54 involves an increase in the length of the shaft and the further maturation of terminal digits. Also from Golgi material, immature mossy fiber endings can be identified in the IGL by PD 35 and exhibit mature characteristics at PD 73. Thus, the formation and maturation of granule cell dendrites and their afferents (mossy fibers) occur over an extended period of time (PD 35-73). Moreover, granule cells exhibit a sequence of development similar to that of Purkinje cells: early arrival of their primary afferent projections in the cerebellar anlage; a period of exuberant dendritic growth; and a protracted and overlapping period for dendritic and synaptic maturation.

Axon development in mouse cerebellum: embryonic axon forms and expression of synapsin I

A fundamental question in central nervous system development is the timing of synaptogenesis in relation to invasion of targets by afferent axons. A related question is how growth cones transform into synaptic terminals. These two aspects of axon maturation were examined in developing mouse cerebellum, by labeling single axons with horseradish peroxidase, to study their form and cytology, and by immunocytochemical staining of a synaptic vesicle antigen, synapsin I, a phosphoprotein found on synaptic vesicles in all mature CNS synapses. From embryonic day 16 to postnatal day 3, horseradish peroxidase-labeled afferent axons extend well into the cerebellum and have simple forms. At embryonic day 16, axon growing tips are synapsin I-negative. Synapsin I is first expressed at embryonic day 17, and by embryonic day 18, fibers are stained throughout the cerebellum. Synapsin I expression coincides with a general increase in synaptic specializations, although growing tips continue to have the cytology of growth cones. During the period that axons have primitive shapes, synapsin I is distributed throughout the terminal arbor, corresponding to the presence of small vesicles along neurite lengths, even at non-synaptic sites. After postnatal day 3, when synaptic terminals develop into stereotypic shapes and engage in characteristic synaptic relations, synapsin I is restricted to boutons. Thus, the synapse-specific protein synapsin I is expressed in fetal mouse brain, long before nerve endings have the structure and connections of adult brain. In cerebellar axons, the expression of this protein follows axon arrival, coincides with the appearance of elementary synapses, and accompanies the transformation of growing tips into stereotypic synaptic boutons. The time course of expression of synapsin I, a phosphoprotein that may be involved in synaptic efficacy, suggests that transmitter release may influence early axon-target cell interactions.

Granule cell development in the frog cerebellum during spontaneous and thyroxine-induced metamorphosis

Granule cell maturation in the cerebellum of bullfrog tadpoles was studied during both spontaneous and thyroxine-induced metamorphosis by using electron microscopy and Golgi-impregnated preparations. The production of cerebellar microneurons, a majority of which are granule cell precursors, was quantitatively compared during spontaneous and thyroxine-induced metamorphosis by using stereological methods and biochemical measurements of DNA. Granule cell migration and differentiation appeared morphologically similar during spontaneous and thyroxine-induced metamorphosis. In both instances, granule cells migrated tangentially along the pial surface, migrated into the internal granular layer, developed dendritic arbors, and formed synaptic contacts with the processes of Golgi cells and with mossy fibers. These events are similar to developmental processes that have been described in detail in other animals. Quantitative stereological measurements demonstrated similar overall patterns of change during spontaneous and thyroxine-induced metamorphosis. Most notably, increases in the volume of the external granule layer correlated with increases in the relative and total amounts of DNA. However, measurements of total DNA were consistently reduced during the period of accelerated change that occurs in thyroxine-induced metamorphosis, although external granular layer volume was greater in these tadpoles after 2 and 3 weeks of thyroxine treatment than in spontaneously metamorphosing tadpoles. While granule cell development in the frog is largely dependent on thyroid hormone, differences between thyroid-hormone-induced and spontaneously metamorphosing tadpoles suggest that normal patterns of cerebellar development are also dependent on events that occur in premetamorphic tadpoles in the absence of thyroid hormone.

Immunohistochemical study on the development of serotoninergic neurons in the chick: II. Distribution of cell bodies and fibers in the spinal cord

Developmental changes of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) neurons and fibers in the spinal cord of the embryo and posthatching chick were studied with immunohistochemical techniques with the aid of an antibody against serotonin. The first serotonin-immunoreactive fibers were found in the marginal layer of the cervical and lumbar spinal cord on embryonic days 6 and 8, respectively. There was a time lag of a few days between the first appearance of serotonin fibers in the marginal layer (embryonic days 6-8) and the time of penetration of serotonin fibers into the mantle layer (embryonic day 8 or older). The developments of serotonin innervation in the rostral parts of the spinal cord precedes that of caudal regions. Serotonin fibers penetrating into the mantle layer of the lumbar spinal cord were first found in lamina VII on embryonic day 8, whereas there were no serotonin-immunoreactive fibers in lamina IX by embryonic day 10. Large differences were found between embryonic day 16 and posthatching day 5 with regard to the density of serotonin varicosities and fibers in lamina IX, where profiles of soma and large-sized dendrites were heavily covered with varicosities. Laminae I and II first received serotonin fibers on embryonic day 16 and had a much denser innervation by posthatching day 5. There were no traces of serotonin fibers in lamina III in the stages examined up to posthatching day 5. Serotonin fibers were located in the lateral and ventral marginal layers in all specimens examined; only a few fibers were found in the dorsal marginal layer. Although few, serotonin-immunoreactive cell bodies were found in an area around the central canal of all animals from embryonic day 8 to adult. Some of these were located in the ependymal layer and sent processes toward the central canal; there were a small number of cells with long, fine processes. Serotonin-immunoreactive fibers in the spinal cord were not altered in regions rostral to the spinal transection, whereas all the serotoninergic fibers of the supraspinal origin were eliminated in the spinal cord caudal to the gap.

Development of the retinotectal system in normal quail embryos: cytoarchitectonic development and optic fiber innervation

The development of the optic tectum and the establishment of retinotectal projections were investigated in the quail embryo from day E2 to hatching day (E16) with Cresyl violet-thionine, silver staining and anterograde axonal tracing methods. Both tectal cytodifferentiation and retinotectal innervation occur according to a rostroventral-caudodorsal gradient. Radial migration of postmitotic neurons starts on day E4. At E14, the tectum is fully laminated. Optic fibers reach the tectum on day E5 and cover its surface on day E10. 'Golgi-like' staining of optic fibers with HRP injected in vitro on the surface of the tectum reveals that: growing fronts are formed exclusively by axons extending over the tectal surface; fibers penetrating the outer tectal layers are always observed behind the growing fronts; the penetrating fibers are either the tip of the optic axons or collateral branches; as they penetrate the tectum, optic fibers give off branches which may extend for long distances within their terminal domains; the optic fiber terminal arbors acquire their mature morphology by day E14. The temporal sequence of retinotectal development in the quail was compared to that already established for the chick, thus providing a basis for further investigation of the development of the retinotectal system in chimeric avian embryos obtained after xenoplastic transplantation of quail tectal primordia into the chick neural tube.