Differential effects of aging on the distribution of calcium-binding proteins in a pretectal nucleus of the chicken brain

Distribution of calcium-binding proteins in the pigeon visual thalamic centers and related pretectal and mesencephalic nuclei. Phylogenetic and functional determinants

Multichannel processing of environmental information constitutes a fundamental basis of functioning of sensory systems in the vertebrate brain. Two distinct parallel visual systems - the tectofugal and thalamofugal exist in all amniotes. The vertebrate central nervous system contains high concentrations of intracellular calcium-binding proteins (CaBPrs) and each of them has a restricted expression pattern in different brain regions and specific neuronal subpopulations. This study aimed at describing the patterns of distribution of parvalbumin (PV) and calbindin (CB) in the visual thalamic and mesencephalic centers of the pigeon (Columba livia). We used a combination of immunohistochemistry and double labeling immunofluorescent technique. Structures studied included the thalamic relay centers involved in the tectofugal (nucleus rotundus, Rot) and thalamofugal (nucleus geniculatus lateralis, pars dorsalis, GLd) visual pathways as well as pretectal, mesencephalic, isthmic and thalamic structures inducing the driver and/or modulatory action to the visual processing. We showed that neither of these proteins was unique to the Rot or GLd. The Rot contained i) numerous PV-immunoreactive (ir) neurons and a dense neuropil, and ii) a few CB-ir neurons mostly located in the anterior dorsal part and associated with a light neuropil. These latter neurons partially overlapped with the former and some of them colocalized both proteins. The distinct subnuclei of the GLd were also characterized by different patterns of distribution of CaBPrs. Some (nucleus dorsolateralis anterior, pars magnocellularis, DLAmc; pars lateralis, DLL; pars rostrolateralis, DLAlr; nucleus lateralis anterior thalami, LA) contained both CB- and PV-ir neurons in different proportions with a predominance of the former in the DLAmc and DLL. The nucleus lateralis dorsalis of nuclei optici principalis thalami only contained PV-ir neurons and a neuropil similar to the interstitial pretectal/thalamic nuclei of the tectothalamic tract, nucleus pretectalis and thalamic reticular nucleus. The overlapping distribution of PV and CB immunoreactivity was typical for the pretectal nucleus lentiformis mesencephali and the nucleus ectomamillaris as well as for the visual isthmic nuclei. The findings are discussed in the light of the contributive role of the phylogenetic and functional factors determining the circuits׳ specificity of the different CaBPr types.

Morphological properties of tectal neurons that project to the nucleus geniculatus lateralis, pars ventralis (GLv) and the surrounding ventral thalamus in chicks

Layer 10 neurons of the chick tectum were morphologically investigated. The layer 10 neurons displayed heterogeneous immunoreactivities to calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs). Calbindin (CB)-immunoreactive (ir) neurons had pyramidal or round somata, primarily found in layers 5, 9, and 13. Parvalbumin (PV)-ir neurons were of various shapes with small to large somata (109.7±48.6μm(2)) that were located mainly in layers 4 and 10. Calretinin (CR)-ir neurons had small to middle-sized somata (79.3±9.7μm(2)) located primarily in layers 10 and 13, and most of them were similar to typical radial cells in size and shape. Two distinct types of neurons that projected to the nucleus geniculatus lateralis, pars ventralis (GLv) and ventral thalamus were demonstrated in layer 10. Type 1 cells had small to middle-sized somata (74.3±33μm(2)), and each cell had a single apical dendrite that ramified into bush-like branches in layer 7. These cells corresponded to CR-ir neurons and radial cells in size and shape. Type 2 cells had larger somata (124.7±52.6μm(2)), and their shapes were pyramidal, polygonal, or oval. They had multiple obliquely ascending dendrites that ramified into bush-like branches in layer 7. These cells often appeared similar to PV-ir neurons.

Immunohistochemical localization of AMPA-type glutamate receptor subunits in the nucleus of the Edinger-Westphal in embryonic chick

The Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EW) in birds is responsible for the control of pupil constriction, accommodation, and choroidal blood flow. The activation of EW neurons is mediated by the neurotransmitter glutamate, in large part through AMPA-type glutamate receptors (GluRs), whose behavior varies according to the subunit composition. We investigated the developmental expression of the GluR subunits in EW of the chick (Gallus gallus) using immunohistochemistry on tissue from embryonic days 10 through 20 (E10-E20). Of the three antibodies used, one recognized the GluR1 subunit, another the GluR4 subunit, and the third recognized a sequence common to GluR2 and GluR3 subunits. No immunolabeling of EW neurons for any GluR subunits was observed prior to E12, although immunolabeling was seen in somatic oculomotor prior to E12. At E12, immunoreactivity for each of the three antibodies was in only approximately 2% of EW neurons. By E14, the abundance of GluR1+ perikarya in EW had increased to 13%, and for GluR2/3 had increased to 48%. The perikaryal abundance of the immunoreactivity for GluR1 and GluR2/3 declined to 3% and 23%, respectively, by E16. At E14, 33% of EW neurons immunolabeled for GluR4, and their frequency increased to 43% by E16, and remained at that approximate percentage through hatching. The increased expression of GluR1 and GluR4 in EW at E14 coincides with the reported onset of the expression of the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin, and the calcium currents associated with AMPA receptors formed by these two subunits may play a role in the occurrence of parvalbumin expression.

The pretectal nuclei in two monotremes: the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

We have examined the organization of the pretectal area in two monotremes (the short beaked echidna-Tachyglossus aculeatus, and the platypus-Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and compared it to that in the Wistar strain rat, using Nissl staining in conjunction with enzyme histochemistry (acetylcholinesterase and NADPH diaphorase) and immunohistochemistry for parvalbumin, calbindin, calretinin and non-phosphorylated neurofilament protein (SMI-32 antibody). We were able to identify distinct anterior, medial, posterior (now called tectal gray) and olivary pretectal nuclei as well as a nucleus of the optic tract, all with largely similar topographical and chemoarchitectonic features to the homologous regions in therian mammals. The positions of these pretectal nuclei correspond to the distributions of retinofugal terminals identified by other authors. The overall size of the pretectum in both monotremes was found to be at least comparable in size, if not larger than, the pretectum of representative therian mammals of similar brain and body size. Our findings suggest that the pretectum of these two monotreme species is comparable in both size and organization to that of eutherian mammals, and is more than just an undifferentiated area pretectalis. The presence of a differentiated pretectum with similar chemoarchitecture to therians in both living monotremes lends support to the idea that the stem mammal for both prototherian and therian lineages also had a differentiated pretectum. This in turn indicates that a differentiated pretectum appeared at least 125 million years ago in the mammalian lineage and that the stem mammal for proto- and eutherian lineages probably had similar pretectal nuclei to those identified in its descendants.

Unilateral cochlear ablation in adult ferrets results in upregulation in calretinin immunostaining in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus

In the present study, unilateral cochlear ablations were performed in adult ferrets in order to determine whether an upregulation of the calretinin immunostained plexus in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus occurs and if so, what the time course of this upregulation is. Accordingly, the mean gray level and the calretinin-immunostained area of the axonal plexus in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus were evaluated at 1, 20 and 90 days after cochlear ablation. In unoperated animals, the calretinin-immunostained plexus was bilaterally symmetric. In ablated animals, both the mean gray level and the immunostained area of the plexus increased in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus contralateral to the lesion compared with both the ipsilateral side and unoperated animals. This upregulation was present 24 h after the ablation and did not change at the two subsequent time points. In a previous study in young ferrets, the immunostained area of the plexus in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus contralateral to the lesion increased 200% compared with control ferrets [J Comp Neurol 460 (2003) 585], whereas it increased only 33% in adult ferrets. These findings suggest that 1) calretinin upregulation in the contralateral central nucleus of the inferior colliculus following cochlear ablation occurs by 24 h after cochlear ablation and 2) there is an age-related decline in the magnitude of this upregulation after cochlear ablation.

The distribution and cellular localization of glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GAD65) mRNA in the forebrain and midbrain of domestic chick

The distribution and cellular localization of GAD65 mRNA in the forebrain and midbrain of domestic chick were examined by in situ hybridization histochemistry with (35)[S]-UTP labeled cRNA probes, using film and emulsion autoradiography. Film autoradiograms showed intense GAD65 labeling in many structures of the basal telencephalon, such as the medial and lateral striatum, the septum, the olfactory tubercle, the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the intrapeduncular nucleus, while the pallial telencephalon showed only a low level of labeling. Emulsion-coated sections revealed that GAD65 mRNA-containing neurons were at least six times more abundant in striatum than pallium, with only a uniformly scattered subpopulation labeled in pallium, and that the vast majority of the large scattered projection neurons of globus pallidus were heavily labeled for GAD65. Prominent labeling was also evident in the nucleus taeniae and subpallial amygdala, but not in the arcopallium in film autoradiograms. Within the diencephalon, the hypothalamus was more GAD65-rich than the thalamus. Additional subtelencephalic cell groups showing prominent labeling included the thalamic reticular nucleus and ventral lateral geniculate nucleus of the diencephalon, the nucleus pretectalis, subpretectalis and spiriformis lateralis of the pretectum, and the magnocellular isthmic nucleus of the optic lobe. Tectal layers 9-10 were also rich in GAD65. These results further clarify GABAergic circuits of the avian forebrain and midbrain, and show them to closely resemble those in mammals.