Subtype switching of vesicular glutamate transporters at parallel fibre-Purkinje cell synapses in developing mouse cerebellum

Two subtypes of the vesicular glutamate transporter are expressed differentially in two excitatory afferents synapsing on to Purkinje cells: VGluT1 (BNPI) in axon terminals of cerebellar granule cells (i.e. parallel fibres; PFs) and VGluT2 (DNPI) in those of the inferior olivary neurons (climbing fibres; CFs). In the present study, we examined their expression in the developing mouse cerebellum. By in situ hybridization, the inferior olivary nucleus selectively expressed VGluT2 mRNA through postnatal life. In the cerebellum, both subtypes were transcribed in the external and internal granular layers during the first postnatal week. Thereafter, VGluT1 mRNA showed marked upregulation in the internal granular layer, whereas VGluT2 mRNA disappeared from the external and internal granular layers by the end of the third postnatal week. By immunohistochemistry, CF terminals consistently exhibited VGluT2 immunoreactivity in the postnatal cerebellum. By contrast, in the first 10 days of postnatal life, VGluT2 predominated in PF terminals, despite the transcription of both transporters in developing granule cells. During the second 10 days, VGluT2 in PF terminals was replaced with VGluT1 from deep regions of the molecular layer upwards, correlating with dendritic translocation of CFs. This replacement was accomplished by postnatal day 30. Taking that late-borne PFs are laid down successively on earlier ones in the molecular layer, the deep-to-superficial replacement represents maturation-linked switching from VGluT2 to VGluT1 in individual PFs, and is likely to be regulated at both the transcription and translation levels.

Structural and functional properties distinguish two types of multipolar cells in the ventral cochlear nucleus

We distinguish two types of large multipolar cells designated sustained (CS) and onset (OC) choppers in the anterior posteroventral cochlear nucleus (A-PVCN)/nerve root region on the basis of certain anatomical and physiological features. CS axons head into the trapezoid body, while OC axons use the intermediate acoustic stria of Held. At the electron microscopic (EM) level, collateral terminals of OC axons contain pleomorphic vesicles; CS terminals contain small round vesicles. CS dendritic trees tend to be distributed in a stellate fashion while OC dendritic trees tend to be elongated. At the EM level the sustained chopper somata are sparsely innervated while the proximal dendritic tree receives considerably more input. The OC somata are highly innervated and this heavy innervation continues out onto the proximal dendrites. Distally the dendritic innervation falls off considerably for both categories. Physiologically, members of the OC population have wider dynamic ranges at the characteristic frequency (CF), wider response areas that are typically not flanked by inhibitory sidebands, and responses to short tones that do not show the same form of regularity expressed by sustained choppers. Intracellularly the sustained choppers exhibit sustained depolarization to short tones for the duration of the stimulus with resultant regular spiking at a rate that is stimulus level dependent. The response to swept tone shows this same level-dependent regularity. In response to tones, the OC cells also show a sustained depolarization whose amplitude is stimulus-level dependent but whose range is much greater and whose onset is initiated more abruptly. Although the onset component of the OC spike output is reliably initiated by these levels of depolarization, regular firing to the sustained depolarization is not initiated at levels of depolarization that would surely generate regular firing in sustained choppers. This regularity is also absent in the swept tone response despite marked levels of excitation.

The GABAergic cerebello-olivary projection in the rat

Immunocytochemical detection of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), the predominant biosynthetic enzyme of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), reveals the presence of a dense GABAergic innervation in all parts of the inferior olive. One brain center that provides a substantial projection to the inferior olive is the cerebellar nuclei, which contain many small GABAergic neurons. These neurons were tested as a source of GABAergic olivary afferents by combining retrograde tract tracing with GAD immunocytochemistry. As expected from previous studies, injections of wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) into the inferior olive retrogradely label many small neurons in the interposed and lateral cerebellar nuclei and the dorsal part of the lateral vestibular nucleus, and fewer neurons in the ventro-lateral region of the medial cerebellar nucleus. These projections are predominantly crossed and are topographically arranged. The vast majority, if not all, of these projection neurons are also GAD-positive. The relative contribution of this projection to the GABAergic innervation of the inferior olive was tested by lesion of the cerebellar nuclei, or the superior cerebellar peduncle. Within 10 days the lesion eliminates most GAD-immunoreactive boutons in the principal olive, the rostral lamella of the medial accessory olive, the ventrolateral outgrowth, and the lateral part of the dorsal accessory olive ventral fold. Thus, the effectiveness of this depletion demonstrates that the cerebellar nuclei provide most of the GABAergic innervation to regions of the inferior olive known to receive a cerebellar projection. Moreover, when the lateral vestibular nucleus is damaged, the dorsal fold of the dorsal accessory olive is depleted of GABAergic boutons. The synaptic relations that boutons of the GABAergic cerebello-olivary projection share with olivary neurons were investigated at the electron microscopic level by GAD-immunocytochemistry, anterograde degeneration of the cerebellar axons or anterograde transport of WGA-HRP. All of these methods confirm that GABAergic, cerebello-olivary axon terminals contain pleomorphic vesicles, and synapse on various portions of olivary neurons, and especially on dendritic spines within glomeruli, often in very close proximity to the gap junctions that characteristically couple the dendritic profiles. These results demonstrate four major points: that virtually all of the GABAergic, and presumably inhibitory, neurons of the cerebellar and dorsal lateral vestibular nuclei are projection neurons; that a large portion of the inferior olive receives GABAergic afferents from the cerebellar nuclei; that a portion of the dorsal accessory olive receives GABAergic afferents from the dorsal lateral vestibular nucleus; and that cerebello-olivary fibers often synapse near gap junctions, and therefore could influence electrical coupling of olivary neurons.

A single packet of transmitter does not saturate postsynaptic glutamate receptors

Neurotransmitter is stored in synaptic vesicles and released by exocytosis into the synaptic cleft. One of the fundamental questions in central synaptic transmission is whether a quantal packet of transmitter saturates postsynaptic receptors. To address this question, we loaded the excitatory transmitter L-glutamate via whole-cell recording pipettes into the giant nerve terminal, the calyx of Held, in rat brainstem slices. This caused marked potentiations of both quantal and action potential-evoked EPSCs mediated by alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. These results directly demonstrate that neither AMPA nor NMDA receptors are saturated by a single packet of transmitter, and indicate that vesicular transmitter content is an important determinant of synaptic efficacy.

A new combination of WGA-HRP anterograde tracing and GABA immunocytochemistry applied to afferents of the cat inferior olive at the ultrastructural level

In order to identify cerebellar terminals in the cat inferior olive which contain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a technique was developed combining anterograde transport of wheatgerm agglutinine-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) with gold-immunocytochemistry. With this technique both the HRP reaction product and the immunogold labelling can be visualized in a single ultrathin section. Our results suggest that most, if not all of the WGA-HRP-labelled cerebellar terminals in the rostral medial accessory olive (MAO) and the rostral principal olive (PO) are GABAergic. In an additional experiment the GABAergic innervation of the rostral MAO was studied in combination with WGA-HRP anterograde tracing from the rostral mesencephalon. In this case the WGA-HRP-labelled terminals were never found to be GABA-positive.

Development and specificity of inhibitory terminal arborizations in the central nervous system

This study examined the morphological development of single inhibitory arborizations in the gerbil central auditory brain stem. Using a brain slice preparation, neurons of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) were filled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and their complete arborizations were analyzed along the tonotopic axis of the lateral superior olive (LSO). The projections in neonatal animals displayed well-defined arbors that were ordered appropriately within the LSO. It was evident from the axonal pathways that the MNTB afferents could correct for projection errors after reaching the postsynaptic population. As development progressed, a number of arbors established diffuse or inappropriate projections within the LSO. These immature arborizations were no longer apparent by 18-25 days postnatal. The anatomical specificity of arbors at 12-13 and 18-25 days was quantified by measuring the distance that terminal boutons spread across the frequency axis. There was a significant reduction of this distance in older animals. In addition, there was a significant reduction in the mean number of boutons per arbor between 12-13 days and 18-25 days. The maximum nucleus cross-sectional area continued to increase through 15-16 days, indicating that the refined arbors occupied an even smaller fraction of the postsynaptic structure. Taken together, these observations suggest that central inhibitory arbors form exuberant contacts that must be eliminated during development.

GABAergic terminals in nucleus magnocellularis and laminaris originate from the superior olivary nucleus

The auditory brainstem nuclei, angularis (NA), magnocellularis (NM), and laminaris (NL) of the chicken, Gallus, contain terminals that stain for antibodies against the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Some of these terminals originate from cells surrounding nucleus magnocellularis. Results from this study indicate that the majority of the GABAergic terminals found in NA, NM and NL originate from the superior olivary nucleus (SON). Injections of cholera toxin and horseradish peroxidase show that superior olivary nucleus (SON) neurons, which respond to pure tones, project bilaterally to NA, NM, and NL. NA and NL are reciprocally connected with the SON. More NA cells project to the SON than NL cells. While SON neurons project to NM, NM neurons do not project axons back to the SON. The configuration of SON terminals in NA, NM and NL matches the pattern of GABA-immunoreactive puncta seen in these three nuclei: they surround individual NM cells, congregate in the dendritic neuropil of NL, and blanket the NA. The data indicate that NA, NM and NL may be affected by two different inhibitory cell types: local interneurons and SON neurons. Patterns of connectivity described in this report suggest that the activity of NA cells could influence NM and NL cell physiology. Specifically, increases in NA cell activity could augment the effects of GABAergic SON neurons on NM and NL. Hence, binaural perception in the chicken may be more dependent upon changes in intensity cues than previously believed.

Mesodiencephalic and cerebellar terminals terminate upon the same dendritic spines in the glomeruli of the cat and rat inferior olive: an ultrastructural study using a combination of [3H]leucine and wheat germ agglutinin coupled horseradish peroxidase anterograde tracing

The mesodiencephalic and cerebellar afferents in the rostral medial accessory and principal olive of the cat and rat were studied following anterograde transport of tritiated leucine combined with anterograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin coupled horseradish peroxidase in the same animals. In all studied areas at least one-third of the labelled glomeruli appeared to contain both mesodiencephalic and cerebellar terminals. In many of these cases it was found that the terminals from both afferent systems contacted the same dendritic spines. Therefore, these olivary spines may be, as will be discussed, well suited for being involved in a timing process.

Synapses formed by olivocochlear axon branches in the mouse cochlear nucleus

Cochlear nucleus branches of thick olivocochlear axons were labeled by injections of horseradish peroxidase into the spiral ganglion of the cochlear basal turn in mice. Six labeled axons were traced by light microscopy, and selected portions of seven branches were sectioned serially for electron microscopic examination. Axonal branches most frequently terminated near certain granule cell regions of the ventral cochlear nucleus. This article describes terminals, synapses, and postsynaptic elements of these olivocochlear branches. The olivocochlear branches had both terminal and en passant boutons that contained round vesicles and made asymmetric synapses with other neuronal processes. About a quarter of the synapses also possessed additional specializations, postsynaptic, or subjunctional bodies. Mossy terminals, a multisynaptic type of terminal commonly found in granule cell regions, were not found arising from any of the labeled branches. No somatic synapses were found, although contacts with cell bodies were occasionally observed. The predominant synaptic target of olivocochlear branches were what appeared to be dendrites of large diameter. At least some of these large dendrites received multiple synapses from a single labeled olivocochlear branch. The morphological characteristics of reconstructed dendrites suggest that multipolar cells might be predominant targets for the medial olivocochlear system in the cochlear nucleus. This was demonstrated in one case in which a large dendrite was followed to its cell body of origin.

Association between dendritic lamellar bodies and complex spike synchrony in the olivocerebellar system

Dendritic lamellar bodies have been reported to be associated with dendrodendritic gap junctions. In the present study we investigated this association at both the morphological and electrophysiological level in the olivocerebellar system. Because cerebellar GABAergic terminals are apposed to olivary dendrites coupled by gap junctions, and because lesions of cerebellar nuclei influence the coupling between neurons in the inferior olive, we postulated that if lamellar bodies and gap junctions are related, then the densities of both structures will change together when the cerebellar input is removed. Lesions of the cerebellar nuclei in rats and rabbits resulted in a reduction of the density of lamellar bodies, the number of lamellae per lamellar body, and the density of gap junctions in the inferior olive, whereas the number of olivary neurons was not significantly reduced. The association between lamellar bodies and electrotonic coupling was evaluated electrophysiologically in alert rabbits by comparing the occurrence of complex spike synchrony in different Purkinje cell zones of the flocculus that receive their climbing fibers from olivary subnuclei with different densities of lamellar bodies. The complex spike synchrony of Purkinje cell pairs, that receive their climbing fibers from an olivary subnucleus with a high density of lamellar bodies, was significantly higher than that of Purkinje cells, that receive their climbing fibers from a subnucleus with a low density of lamellar bodies. To investigate whether the complex spike synchrony is related to a possible synchrony between simple spikes, we recorded simultaneously the complex spike and simple spike responses of Purkinje cell pairs during natural visual stimulation. Synchronous simple spike responses did occur, and this synchrony tended to increase as the synchrony between the complex spikes increased. This relation raises the possibility that synchronously activated climbing fibers evoke their effects in part via the simple spike response of Purkinje cells. The present results indicate that dendritic lamellar bodies and dendrodendritic gap junctions can be downregulated concomitantly, and that the density of lamellar bodies in different olivary subdivisions is correlated with the degree of synchrony of their climbing fiber activity. Therefore these data support the hypothesis that dendritic lamellar bodies can be associated with dendrodendritic gap junctions. Considering that the density of dedritic lamellar bodies in the inferior olive is higher than in any other area of the brain, this conclusion implies that electrotonic coupling is important for the function of the olivocerebellar system.

Refinement of dendritic arbors along the tonotopic axis of the gerbil lateral superior olive

We have investigated the development of dendritic arbors in a central auditory nucleus in the Mongolian gerbil, the lateral superior olive (LSO). The morphology of these arbors has been shown to vary with tonotopic position in adults, with high frequency neurons having a more restricted field. In the present study, qualitative observations were made on horseradish peroxidase-filled neurons from animals 1-11 days postnatal, and quantitative results were obtained from Golgi-impregnated material from animals 10 days postnatal and older. The tonotopic position of each cell was computed as a percent of the total distance along the LSO. The dendritic arbors of high frequency neurons became spatially constrained along the frequency axis during the 3rd postnatal week, while those in the low frequency region retained a broader arborization into adulthood. This refinement was correlated with a decrease in total dendritic length and the number of branch points per neuron, particularly in the high frequency projection region. The distribution of octave bandwidths to which single LSO neurons responded in 13-16 day animals showed a similar course of maturation across the tonotopic axis: high frequency neurons responded to a larger number of octaves, and with greater variability, than those in adults. These data suggest that a specific alteration in dendrite morphology, which occurs after the onset of response to airborne sound, may contribute to adult frequency selectivity.

The rostral dorsal cap and ventrolateral outgrowth of the rabbit inferior olive receive a GABAergic input from dorsal group Y and the ventral dentate nucleus

The dorsal cap and ventrolateral outgrowth of the inferior olive are involved in the control of eye movements. The caudal dorsal cap is predominantly involved in the horizontal optokinetic reflex; it receives most of its GABAergic input from the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi. In the present study, we determined the source of a major inhibitory input to the rostral dorsal cap and the ventrolateral outgrowth, which are the olivary subnuclei mainly involved in the "vertical" optokinetic reflexes. We studied these subnuclei in the rabbit with the use of retrograde tracing of horseradish peroxidase and anterograde tracing of wheat germ agglutinin-coupled horseradish peroxidase combined with postembedding immunocytochemistry. The ventral dentate nucleus of the cerebellum and dorsal group y project contralaterally to the rostral dorsal cap and ventrolateral outgrowth; this projection is entirely GABAergic. The terminals of this input form predominantly symmetric synapses with extraglomerular and intraglomerular dendrites; the remaining terminals are axosomatic. In addition, the dorsal cap and ventrolateral outgrowth contain significantly more crest synapses than any other olivary subnucleus. The terminals that form these crest synapses are derived from dorsal group y and/or the ventral dentate nucleus. None of the terminals in the dorsal cap or ventrolateral outgrowth was glycinergic.

Axonal projections from the lateral and medial superior olive to the inferior colliculus of the cat: a study using electron microscopic autoradiography

The superior olivary complex is the first site in the central auditory system where binaural interactions occur. The output of these nuclei is direct to the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus, where binaural inputs synapse with monaural afferents such as those from the cochlear nuclei. Despite the importance of the olivary pathways for binaural information processing, little is known about their synaptic organization in the colliculus. The present study investigates the structure of the projections from the lateral and medial superior olivary nuclei to the inferior colliculus at the electron microscopic level. Stereotaxic placement and electrophysiological responses to binaural sounds were used to locate the superior olive. Anterograde axonal transport of 3H-leucine was combined with light and electron microscopic autoradiography to reveal the location and morphology of the olivary axonal endings. The results show that the superior olivary complex contributes different patterns of synaptic input to the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus. Each projection from the superior olivary complex to the colliculus differs in the number and combinations of endings. Axonal endings from the ipsilateral medial superior olive were exclusively the round (R) type that contain round synaptic vesicles and make asymmetrical synaptic junctions. This morphology is usually associated with excitatory synapses and neurotransmitters such as glutamate. Endings from medial superior olive terminate densely in the central nucleus. The projection from the contralateral lateral superior olive also terminates primarily as R endings. This projection also includes small numbers of pleomorphic (PL) endings that contain pleomorphic synaptic vesicles and usually make symmetrical synaptic junctions. The PL morphology is associated with inhibitory synapses and transmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine. All endings from the contralateral lateral superior olive terminate much less densely than endings from the medial olive. In contrast, the projection from the ipsilateral lateral superior olive contributes both R and PL endings in roughly equal proportions. These ipsilateral afferents are heterogeneous in density and can terminate in lower or higher concentrations than endings from the contralateral side. These data show that the superior olive is a major contributor to the synaptic organization of the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus. The ipsilateral projections of the medial and lateral superior olive may produce higher concentrations of R endings than other inputs to the central nucleus. Such endings may participate in excitatory synapses. The highest concentrations of PL endings come from the ipsilateral lateral superior olive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The fine structure of the lateral superior olivary nucleus of the cat

The synaptic organization of the lateral superior olivary nucleus of the cat was analyzed under the electron microscope. The predominant cell type, the fusiform cell, has dendrites that extend from opposite poles of the cell body toward the margins of the nucleus, where they terminate in spinous branches. The fusiform cells are contacted by three types of synaptic terminals that can be distinguished by the size and shape of their synaptic vesicles. The somatic and proximal dendritic surfaces are apposed by synaptic terminals containing small, flat synaptic vesicles. Further from the cell body, the dendrites form numerous synaptic contacts with terminals containing large round vesicles as well as with the terminals containing small, flat vesicles. The most distal dendritic branches and their spiny appendages appear to form synapses almost exclusively with the terminals with large, round vesicles. A relatively rare type of terminal that contains small, round vesicles may form synapses with either the somatic or dendritic surfaces. A few small cells are interspersed among the fusiform cells, but they are more commonly located around the margins of the nucleus. The small cells form few axosomatic contacts. The simplest interpretation of the findings is that the terminals with small, flat vesicles arise in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and are inhibitory in function, whereas the terminals with large, round vesicles arise in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus and are excitatory; however, this remains to be demonstrated experimentally. In any case, the differential distribution of these two types of inputs on the somatic and dendritic surfaces must be an important determinant of the physiological response properties of the fusiform cells to binaural acoustic stimuli.

The influence of inhibitory afferents on the development of postsynaptic dendritic arbors

The growth and maintenance of dendritic form is dependent on normally functioning excitatory afferents. We have now examined the development of dendritic arbors in the gerbil lateral superior olive (LSO), following contralateral cochlear removal at postnatal day 7, a manipulation that substantially eliminates driven inhibitory transmission. Previous studies have demonstrated that the morphology of LSO dendritic arbors varies with tonotopic position and becomes more restricted with age. The presumed decrease of inhibitory transmission in the contralateral LSO resulted in a hypertrophic response. Quantification of Golgi-impregnated neurons revealed that dendrites had a significantly greater number of branch points, and their arbors were more spread out along the frequency axis compared to normal. This was especially apparent in the high frequency projection region where the glycine receptor density is known to be 4-fold higher than in the low frequency projection region. A measure of LSO nucleus size, cross-sectional area, was identical to control values, indicating no overt signs of degenerative phenomena. Cochlear ablation resulted in a significant atrophy of the ipsilateral LSO, with significant effects on dendritic structure. We conclude that decreased inhibitory transmission during development does not lead to a net degenerative response. Rather, the postsynaptic neurons exhibit a hypertrophic phenotype that may be due to the persistence of an immature state. These results indicate that activity-dependent morphogenetic events are a consequence of both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission.

Cholinergic projection to the dorsal cap of the inferior olive of the rat, rabbit, and monkey

The inferior olive is divided into several subnuclei that receive specific sensory information. The caudal dorsal cap of the medial accessory subdivision of the inferior olive receives horizontal optokinetic information from the nucleus of the optic tract. The immediately subjacent beta-nucleus receives vertical vestibular information mediated by a GABAergic pathway originating from the ipsilateral descending and medial vestibular nuclei. None of the transmitters to the dorsal cap have been identified. Using choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunohistochemistry, we have identified a cholinergic pathway that terminates exclusively in the dorsal cap of rats and monkeys. No other division of the inferior olive received a significant cholinergic innervation. In the rabbit, immunostaining for ChAT reveals a weaker and more diffuse cholinergic innervation of both the dorsal cap and the subjacent beta-nucleus. In rats and rabbits we injected iontophoretically the orthograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) into the medial and descending vestibular nuclei (MVN, DVN) as well as the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi (NPH) in order to trace the possible origin of the cholinergic projection. PHA-L injections into the NPH and medial aspect of the MVN labeled terminals within the contralateral dorsal cap. PHA-L injections in the central and lateral aspects of the MVN as well as the DVN labeled the ipsilateral beta-nucleus. Pressure injections of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) in the caudal dorsal cap of the rabbit inferior olive demonstrated a predominantly contralateral projection to the dorsal cap from the lateral aspect of the NPH. However, pressure injections of HRP into the caudal dorsal cap combined with ChAT immunohistochemistry in the rabbit demonstrated that most of the neurons of the NPH that projected to the dorsal cap were not cholinergic, and that most of the ChAT-positive neurons within the NPH occupied a more ventral location than the neurons within the NPH that were retrogradely labeled from the HRP injection into the contralateral dorsal cap. In the rat, we made lesions in the MVN, DVN and NPH by injection of ibotenic acid (0.3-0.5 microliter), in an attempt to deplete the dorsal cap of the inferior olive of its cholinergic input. Lesions confined to the NPH and medial aspect of the MVN of the rat caused a loss of ChAT staining in the contralateral dorsal cap. Lesions placed more laterally within the MVN or DVN failed to deplete ChAT-positive terminals in the contralateral or ipsilateral dorsal caps. The dorsal cap of the rat and monkey receives a discrete cholinergic projection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effects of a dopaminergic agonist in the guinea pig cochlea

This study investigates the role of dopamine, a putative lateral efferent neurotransmitter/modulator, in cochlear physiology and physiopathology. Cochlear potentials were recorded in guinea pigs after intracochlear perfusion of increasing doses (0.1-1 mM) of piribedil, an agonist of the D2/D3 receptors. A dose-dependent reduction in the amplitude of auditory nerve compound action potential (CAP) was observed, predominantly at high-intensity tone-burst stimulations, and without significant effect on CAP threshold. There was no variation of cochlear microphonic and summating potential. When 1 mM piribedil was perfused into the cochlea during continuous 130 dB SPL pure tone exposure (6 kHz, 15 min), CAP threshold shifts were significantly less than in control animals with artificial perilymph-perfused cochleas. No dendritic damage was observed, although there was evident hair cell damage. Similarly, radial dendrites were clearly protected against ischemia-induced damage when 1 mM piribedil was applied prior to a 10-min ischemia. These results suggest that dopamine modulates the activity of radial afferent fibers via D2/D3 receptors. The protective effect of piribedil during acoustic trauma or ischemia suggests that this modulation corresponds to a prevention of excitotoxicity due to dysfunction of inner hair cell neurotransmission.

Ultrastructural organization of the retino-pretecto-olivary pathway in the rabbit: a combined WGA-HRP tracing and GABA immunocytochemical study

The ultrastructural organization of the pretecto-olivary projection neurons within the nucleus of the optic tract and dorsal terminal accessory optic nucleus of rabbits was studied by using anti-GABA immunolabelling and retrograde transport of WGA-HRP. GABA-like immunoreactivity was determined with a postembedding colloidal gold technique. WGA-HRP was injected in the dorsal cap of the inferior olive. The WGA-HRP-labelled neurons were incubated with gold-substituted silver peroxidase. Neurons projecting to the inferior olive had large to medium-sized cell bodies and were GABA negative. In the nucleus of the optic tract, projection neurons are found in the rostral parts, while the majority of the local GABAergic interneurons are mainly found in the caudal parts. In the dorsal terminal nucleus both types of neurons are intermingled. The projection neurons were frequently in synaptic contact by GABAergic terminals. These neurons also receive retinal afferents indicating the existence of a two-step synaptic connection from the retina to the inferior olive. It is suggested that this class of projection neurons forms the "direction-selective" neurons that can be antidromically stimulated from the inferior olive. The GABAergic terminals on the identified projection neurons are of axonal origin (F-terminals), whereas presynaptic dendrites of interneurons (P-terminals) were seldom observed to be in synaptic contact with retrogradely labelled profiles. The strong input of GABA on direction-selective neurons indicates that GABA is directly involved in modulating retinal signals to the inferior olive.

Synaptology of the cerebello-olivary pathway. Double labelling with anterograde axonal tracing and GABA immunocytochemistry in the rat

The dentato-olivary projection has been ultrastructurally studied in rats that received a wheatgerm agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) injection in the nucleus lateralis. Ultrathin sections containing the inferior olive have been double-labelled with the GABA-immunogold method. About 97% of the WGA-HRP labelled axon terminals are GABA-immunopositive. Most of them belong to a single type consisting of small boutons establishing symmetrical synapses on dendrites. Nevertheless, there is some morphological and neurochemical diversity among the labelled terminals, and particularly, a small contingent are GABA-immunonegative. Of the GABAergic dentato-olivary boutons, 4% occupy a privileged position, with synaptic contacts straddling two dendritic profiles linked by gap junctions. The strategic location of these inhibitory dentato-olivary synapses suggests that they can modulate the electrotonic coupling rate between sets of inferior olivary neurons.

Sagittal organization of the olivocerebellonuclear pathway in the rat. I. Connections with the nucleus fastigii and the nucleus vestibularis lateralis

The organization of the afferent and efferent connections of the sagittal Zones A and B of the cerebellar cortex of the rat have been studied using wheat-germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase as a tracer. A single injection of this tracer into the cerebellar cortex allowed us to study, simultaneously, the crossed olivocortical connections (revealed by the retrograde transport) and the direct corticonuclear connections (revealed by the anterograde transport). The results demonstrate that the olivocerebellonuclear pathway is organized in a longitudinal direction so that for a given small injection of the tracer in one lobule of the cortex, a long sagittal band of the retrograde-labelled cells is obtained in the inferior olive, and a long sagittal band of the labelled terminals is obtained in the cerebellar nuclei. Zone A and Zone B have been arbitrarily defined as the cortical regions projecting, respectively, to the nucleus fastigii (NF) and the nucleus vestibularis lateralis (NVL). Zone A of the rat runs parasagitally from lobules I to IX as described in the cat, but in the posterior lobe it extends much more laterally than in the other mammals to include the lobulus paramedianus and crus I regions. The projections of Zone A to the NF recognize a mediolateral as well as a dorsoventral organization. Zone A receives climbing fibres exclusively from the caudal half of the medial accessory olive (MAO) with a further topographical organization in 4 distinct connections. Zone B of the rat is a narrow strip of the cortex lying adjacent to Zone A and extending from lobule I to VI. It receives climbing fibres from the caudolateral half of the dorsal accessory olive (DAO) and projects to the ipsilateral NVL with no other detectable organization. The majority of the labelled terminals end in the dorsal aspect of the NVL, but a non-negligible quantity also end in the ventral aspect.

Fine structure and distribution of axon terminals from the cochlear nucleus on neurons in the medial superior olivary nucleus of the cat

The morphology and distribution of axon terminals on central column and marginal neurons of the cat medial superior olivary nucleus (MSO) were analyzed by electron microscopy. Individual neurons or groups of cells oriented such that substantial lengths of their dendrites were within a 5-7 mu thich section were selected for detailed study. Thin sections were cut from remounted thick sections. Boutons with spherical vesicles arise directly from myelinated axons; more than one synaptic region of an axon, each separated by a myelinated segment, may contact a given dendrite. Boutons with flattened and occasionally dense core vesicles arise from both myelinated and unmyelinated portions of axons; these axons may also have more than one synaptic region. Both kinds of synaptic profiles are found on the somata and dendrites of all MSO neurons. To determine which nerve endings are from the cochlear nucleus (CN) lesions were made to produce orthograde degeneration. Following unilateral CN lesions degenerating spherical vesicle terminals were observed on the lateral dendrites and somata of ipsilateral central column cells and the medial dendrites and somata of contralateral neurons. Degenerating terminals were rarely seen on the opposite dendrite (three of 48 cells). In six of seven instances where medial and lateral dendrites of two cells overlapped degeneration was limited to one oriented toward the lesion. Marginal cells examined received virtually all spherical vesicle terminals from only one CN. Terminals with flattened vesicles persisted on the somata and dendrites of all neurons studied including cells from cats with bilateral lesions.

Corticotropin-releasing factor in the olivocerebellar tract of rats: demonstration by light- and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization histochemistry

The presence of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the olivocerebellar system was demonstrated in rats by light- and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry, as well as by in situ hybridization histochemistry. CRF-like immunoreactivity was present in each portion of the olivocerebellar system: In colchicine-treated rats, CRF-immunostained cells were found in each nuclei and subunit of the inferior olive. After surgical transection of the medullary portion of the olivocerebellar tract, CRF-immunostaining accumulated in inferior olive neurons contralateral to the lesion. In situ hybridization histochemistry indicated that CRF mRNA is transcribed in inferior olive neurons for translation to CRF precursor, whereas CRF mRNA was depleted contralateral to the lesion. CRF-immunopositive fibers of the olivocerebellar tract were demonstrated ipsilateral to the transection due to an accumulation in the proximal portion of transected axons. CRF-immunopositivity was demonstrated in climbing fibers in the molecular layer of the cerebellum at both light- and electron-microscopic levels. CRF-immunostained nerve terminals (climbing fiber varicosities) established synaptic contact with dendritic spines of the Purkinje cells. These three observations provide morphological evidence suggesting that CRF might serve as a neurotransmitter in the olivocerebellar system.