胼胝体在初级视觉信息加工中的应用

在综述初级视区胼胝体功能研究的基础上,提出了视网膜双侧投射带的中枢拓扑联系模型,它不但符合一系列生理学和形态学实验的结果,而且解释了胼胝体存在的必要性：它传送的信号补偿了由于存在视网膜双侧投射带而在每侧皮层上所造成的信息损失。     

金黄地鼠胼胝体纤维的电镜研究

哺乳动物的胼胝体是连接大脑两半球的纤维带,由皮层中的胼胝体神经元轴突构成,其末梢终止于其细胞体相对应的对侧皮层区。通常视觉胼胝体神经元和末梢集中于视皮层两相邻区交界附近。电生理工作表明,猫17/18、啮齿动物17/18a区交界附近的胼胝体投射带与动物的视野垂直中线有关,胼胝体在动物的双眼视觉中起重要作用。虽然对胼胝体结构的研究资料很多,但关于胼胝体纤维的超徽结构的报道较少。本篇报道对金黄地鼠胼胝体纤维的电镜研究,试图为探讨金黄地鼠胼胝体的功能提供形态学依据。     

神经元活动控制胼胝体纤维投射模式的研究取得新进展

2007年10月17日,Journal of Neuroscience杂志在线发表了中科院上海生科院神经所丁玉强研究员课题组关于神经元活动控制胼胝体纤维投射模式的最新研究成果。 胼胝体是脑内最大的联合系统,由两侧大脑皮层锥体细胞发出的轴突集合而成,负责两侧大脑半球之间的信息交换。一个重要的问题是：从一侧大脑皮层发出的胼胝体纤维是以怎样的方式投射到对侧皮层？这种投射模式是受哪些因素调控的？     

金鱼再生的视神经在顶盖投射精确化的DiI顺行标记研究

本文用微量显微注射法,在金鱼视网膜的背侧用亲脂类荧光染料DiI标记少量神经节细胞,通过顺行标记研究了视神经再生过程中视网膜顶盖投射的精确化过程。在损伤视神经后的不同时期观察了再生视神经纤维在顶盖整装片上的分布。在再生早期它们以超出正常的途径由背腹两侧进入顶盖,广泛分布。但其中大部分仍分布于顶盖腹侧的靶区。在再生晚期通过精确化,重建如正常鱼一样精确的视网膜顶盖投射。这个精确化过程表现在以下三方面:(1)再生于顶盖错误区域的再生视神经纤维的消失;(2)再生早期视神经纤维主干上生长的侧部分支的消失;(3)到达靶区的再生视神经纤维形成重迭的终末分支。由以上结果推测,顶盖中可能存在两类不同的因子:一类是普通诱向因子,存在于整个顶盖中,它在再生早期引导再生的视神经纤维长入顶盖。另一类是神经营养因子,它具区域特异性,在再生晚期引导视神经纤维到达顶盖靶区,形成精确的视网膜顶盖投射。     

条件反射在猫視分析器两对称部位間传递現象的研究

本工作利用食物性运动条件反射和外科手术的方法对猫两眼间传递现象进行了研究,着重分析了胼胝体,新皮层和丘脑弥散投射系统的某些核在这一活动中的作用。首先在切断视神经交叉纤维的猫上建立包括单眼条件反射的定型,然后用外科手术的方法分别毁坏胼胝体纤维,新皮层和丘脑弥散投射系统的某些核,以观察对传递现象的影响。获得以下主要结果: (1) 不论先切断胼胝体纤维或是在形成条件反射后再切断胼胝体纤维,条件反射在两眼间的传递现象仍然存在,卽以同样的光刺激作用于另一眼时仍能引起同样的食物性运动反应。这说明胼胝体在实现条件反射在两眼间的传递活动中并不起重要作用。另外,在切断视神经交叉纤维和胼胝体纤维的猫上分化刺激作用100—150次后仍未能形成两眼间巩固的分化抑制。 (2) 切除一侧新皮层,手术后约10天单眼条件反射恢复到原来水平,传递现象则随条件反射的恢复而逐渐增强,但未能达到手术前的水平。这说明传递现象的正常实现要求两侧新皮层的同时存在。 (3) 毁坏丘脑与建立条件反射眼同侧的VA,VM核一带对传递现象没有明显的影响;毁坏对侧的VA,VM核一带时,传递现象有所减弱;当两侧VA,VM核一带均被毁坏后,传递现象不再出现,条件反射活动受到较大影响,约经一月后未逐渐达到原来水平。这说明丘脑弥散投射系统的这些核在两眼间的传递活动中起着较重要的作用。     

大白鼠视网膜中向同侧中枢投射的神经节细胞

在大白鼠视束和上丘注射HRP作逆行标记表明,向对侧中枢投射的神经节细胞遍布视网膜各处,而同侧投射的细胞大部分位于颞下侧边缘的新月形区域内,少数细胞分布在此区以外。与视束注射比较,上丘注射时同侧视网膜颞新月区内标记细胞数大为减少。统计测量表明,同侧投射细胞胞体直径平均比对侧投射细胞的略长。文中对上述结果的生理学意义进行了讨论。     

兔腹部迷走神经及内脏大神经传入冲动在延髓投射的电生理研究

本实验在75只家兔身上进行。观察了腹部迷走神经及内脏大神经传入冲动在延髓投射的分布、潜伏期及反应型式等特征。结果表明,腹部迷走传入冲动相对集中地投射在孤束核(NTS)及其附近区域,并呈现基本对称的双侧性投射。测定了254个延髓细胞的反应潜伏期,平均值为257.44±44.57ms((?)±SD)。内脏大神经传入投射较弥散,而且在 NTS 也有相当数量的分布。在 NTS 中存在迷走-内脏神经传入冲动的汇聚。     

淡水蜗牛视觉系统的输入与输出通路(英文)

通过神经生物素在视神经上的逆行性传输对淡水蜗牛(Planorbarius corneus)视网膜及中央神经节的输入、输出神经元进行标记。由于没有发现突触联系,所以至少一部分光感受细胞的轴突可被视为直接参与形成视神经。这些神经元的轴突进入大脑神经节形成密集的细传入神经纤维束-视神经堆。传出神经元则存在于除颊部以外的所有神经节。一些上行轴突在大脑神经节处分叉,通过脑-脑联合,到达对侧眼并在眼杯处形成分枝。部分传出神经元的轴突也投射于不同的外周神经,如:n.n.intestinalis,pallialis dexter,pallialis sinister internus et externus。五羟色胺能纤维和FMRF-酰胺能纤维均存在于视神经上,且这些纤维隶属于只投射在同侧眼的中央神经元。它们形成了位于眼杯处的丰富曲张结构及视网膜核心层,并且可能有助于调节视网膜对光的敏感性。     

Bmal1对小鼠胚胎期皮层神经元放射状迁移和轴突投射的影响

大脑皮层的发育是脑结构形成与功能建立的重要基础,在此过程中,皮层神经元放射状迁移及胼胝体区的轴突投射是必不可少的关键环节,该环节受基因转录的调控,但相关的分子机制目前仍不明确。转录因子BMAL1 (brain and muscle Arnt-like protein1)是体内重要的生物钟节律因子之一,最新研究发现其还参与调节海马神经祖细胞增殖,提示其与神经发育存在潜在的相关性。为明确Bmal1基因在大脑皮层发育中的具体作用,本研究首先通过RT-PCR和Real-timePCR检测Bmal1基因在神经系统中的表达情况。结果表明,Bmal1基因在神经系统中表达丰富,并且在发育期的大脑内呈现特定的表达规律:在胚胎后期和出生后早期脑内表达水平相对较高,以出生后第3 d为高峰。进一步通过联合使用小鼠子宫内胚胎电转和RNAi干扰方法敲减脑内神经元中Bmal1的表达水平,结果发现胚胎期皮层神经元的放射状迁移发生了延迟,延迟程度与RNAi的敲减效率呈正相关,存在一定的基因剂量-效应关系。进一步观察发现,在胚胎期脑内神经元中降低Bmal1表达水平以后,胼胝体轴突向对侧大脑半球的投射也出现了明显的缺陷。上述研究结果表明,BMAL1是大脑皮层神经元的放射状迁移以及轴突投射发育过程中的一个重要的调控分子,为从转录因子角度深入理解大脑皮层发育的分子调节机制和寻找调控靶点提供了新的线索。     

刺激分离大脑的两侧半球产生单一反应

对某些癫痫病人需要进行胼胝体切断术。在这些患者身上可研究互相分离的两个大脑半球是否能对分别进入双侧的信息进行统一的处理,做出单一的反应。近年来,人们惊奇地发现胼胝体离断的病人,在日常生活中,几乎不产生或很少产生一些异常反应。例如,对刺激无反应、反应迟钝或动作分离等。有人解释这种现象是由于各种信息同时到达双侧大脑半球的结果,但有人利用视觉系统的解剖特性将视觉信号分     

An isthmo-optic system in a bony fish

This investigation reveals the existence of an isthmo-optic system in a bony fish for the first time. Two cell aggregates of the isthmic region project bilaterally to each eye in Polypterus. The crossed connections are significantly more developed than the uncrossed ones. These findings provide further evidence for the presence of bilaterally projecting isthmo-optic systems in early stages of vertebrate evolution. Furthermore, they suggest that a loss of one or all of these connections during evolutionary or ontogenetic development reflects a parcellation process as proposed by the parcellation theory.     

Monosynaptic rabies virus reveals premotor network organization and synaptic specificity of cholinergic partition cells

Movement is the behavioral output of neuronal activity in the spinal cord. Motor neurons are grouped into motor neuron pools, the functional units innervating individual muscles. Here we establish an anatomical rabies virus-based connectivity assay in early postnatal mice. We employ it to study the connectivity scheme of premotor neurons, the neuronal cohorts monosynaptically connected to motor neurons, unveiling three aspects of organization. First, motor neuron pools are connected to segmentally widely distributed yet stereotypic interneuron populations, differing for pools innervating functionally distinct muscles. Second, depending on subpopulation identity, interneurons take on local or segmentally distributed positions. Third, cholinergic partition cells involved in the regulation of motor neuron excitability segregate into ipsilaterally and bilaterally projecting populations, the latter exhibiting preferential connections to functionally equivalent motor neuron pools bilaterally. Our study visualizes the widespread yet precise nature of the connectivity matrix for premotor interneurons and reveals exquisite synaptic specificity for bilaterally projecting cholinergic partition cells.     

Axon guidance in the mouse optic chiasm: retinal neurite inhibition by ephrin "A"-expressing hypothalamic cells in vitro

In the mammalian visual system, retinal axons undergo temporal and spatial rearrangements as they project bilaterally to targets on the brain. Retinal axons cross the neuraxis to form the optic chiasm on the hypothalamus in a position defined by overlapping domains of regulatory gene expression. However, the downstream molecules that direct these processes remain largely unknown. Here we use a novel in vitro paradigm to study possible roles of the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases in chiasm formation. In vivo, Eph receptors and their ligands distribute in complex patterns in the retina and hypothalamus. In vitro, retinal axons are inhibited by reaggregates of isolated hypothalamic, but not dorsal diencephalic or cerebellar cells. Furthermore, temporal retinal neurites are more inhibited than nasal neurites by hypothalamic cells. Addition of soluble EphA5-Fc to block Eph "A" subclass interactions decreases both the inhibition and the differential response of retinal neurites by hypothalamic reaggregates. These data show that isolated hypothalamic cells elicit specific, position-dependent inhibitory responses from retinal neurites in culture. Moreover, these responses are mediated, in part, by Eph interactions. Together with the in vivo distributions, these data suggest possible roles for Eph family members in directing retinal axon growth and/or reorganization during optic chiasm formation.     

Autonomous and non-autonomous Shh signalling mediate the in vivo growth and guidance of mouse retinal ganglion cell axons

In non-mammalian vertebrates, the relatively homogeneous population of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) differentiates and projects entirely to the contralateral side of the brain under the influence of sonic hedgehog (Shh). In mammals, by contrast, there are two different RGC types: the Zic2-positive ipsilateral projecting and the Isl2-positive contralateral projecting. We asked whether the axons of these two populations respond to Shh and if their response differs. We have also analysed whether midline- and RGC-derived Shh contributes to the growth of the axons in the proximal visual pathway. We show that these two RGC types are characterised by a differential expression of Shh signalling components and that they respond differently to Shh when challenged in vitro. In vivo blockade of Shh activity, however, alters the path and distribution mostly of the contralateral projecting RGC axons at the chiasm, indicating that midline-derived Shh participates in funnelling contralateral visual fibres in this region. Furthermore, interference with Shh signalling in the RGCs themselves causes abnormal growth and navigation of contralateral projecting axons in the proximal portion of the pathway, highlighting a novel cell-autonomous mechanism by which Shh can influence growth cone behaviour.     

Topographic mapping in dorsoventral axis of the Xenopus retinotectal system depends on signaling through ephrin-B ligands

Ephrin-B and EphB are distributed in matching dorsoventral gradients in the embryonic Xenopus visual system with retinal axons bearing high levels of ligand (dorsal) projecting to tectal regions with high receptor expression (ventral). In vitro stripe assays show that dorsal retinal axons prefer to grow on EphB receptor stripes supporting an attractive guidance mechanism. In vivo disruption of EphB/ephrin-B function by application of exogenous EphB or expression of dominant-negative ephrin-B ligand in dorsal retinal axons causes these axons to shift dorsally in the tectum, while misexpression of wild-type ephrin-B in ventral axons causes them to shift ventrally. These dorsoventral targeting errors are consistent with the hypothesis that an attractive mechanism that requires ephrin-B cytoplasmic domain is critical for retinotectal mapping in this axis.     

Melanopsin,ganglion-cell photoreceptors,and mammalian photoentrainment

An understanding of the retinal mechanisms in mammalian photoentrainment will greatly facilitate optimization of the wavelength, intensity, and duration of phototherapeutic treatments designed to phase shift endogenous biological rhythms. A small population of widely dispersed retinal ganglion cells projecting to the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus is the source of the critical photic input. Recent evidence has shown that many of these ganglion cells are directly photosensitive and serve as photoreceptors. Melanopsin, a presumptive photopigment, is an essential component in the phototransduction cascade within these intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells and plays an important role in the retinal photoentrainment pathway. This review summarizes recent findings related to melanopsin and melanopsin ganglion cells and lists other retinal proteins that might serve as photopigments in the mammalian photoentrainment input pathway.     

Structure of identified neurons innervating the lateral cardiac nerve cords in the migratory locust,Locusta migratoria migratorioides (Reiche and Fairmaire) (Orthoptera,Acrididae)

Our knowledge about the morphology of neurons innervating the lateral cardiac nerve cords (LCNCs) in migratory locusts, Locusta migratoria migratorioides (R. and F.) (Orthoptera, Acrididae) has increased considerably during recent years, mainly owing to immunocytochemical studies using antisera directed against members of insect neuropeptide families. In principle, there are three morphological types of neurons located within the CNS, which innervate the LCNCs in locusts: abdominal ganglia contain (i) bilaterally projecting, possibly unpaired neurons (BPNs) and (ii) paired, unilaterally projecting neurons. In addition, (iii) the LCNCs receive innervation from a pair of neurons, which is located within the suboesophageal ganglion. The axons of all three types of neurons project into the LCNCs via the segmental heart nerves, the most distal extensions of the dorsal segemental nerves of abdominal ganglia. When estimating the number of axons contained in one segmental heart nerve and formed by all central neurons so far identified, this number exceeds the number of axon profiles previously seen using the electron microscope. This indicates that most, or perhaps all central neurons projecting into the LCNCs, have been identified in these insects.     

Anisotropic and inhomogeneous mechanical characteristics of the retina

We studied contribution of blood vessels to the mechanical properties of retina. Previous studies revealed anisotropic and inhomogeneous retinal mechanical characteristics. To examine different vessel types and sizes, 3 strips of retinal samples were dissected in each of 5 pig eyes. One strip contained the superior-temporal vein in the axial direction, one strip contained the superior-temporal artery in the axial direction, and one strip did not contain any visible vessel. To examine different vessel orientations, 2 strips of retinal samples were dissected in each of 5 other pig eyes. One strip contained the superior-temporal vein in the axial direction, and one strip contained the superior-temporal vein in the circumferential direction. Tensile testing was performed on the samples. The venous and arterial samples were found to be significantly stiffer than the no-visible-vessel samples. No significant difference was observed neither between the venous and arterial samples, nor between the venous samples in the axial versus circumferential directions. We therefore conclude that the blood vessels contribute significantly to the stiffness of the retina, and the vessel size is the only determining factor that governs the anisotropic and inhomogeneous characteristics of the retina.     

Retinal projections of the pigmented guinea pig

Using 3H-proline autoradiography we found in the pigmented guinea pig that retinal fibres terminated bilaterally in the suprachiasmatic, lateral geniculate, some pretectal nuclei and in the superior colliculi. The medial, lateral and dorsal terminal nuclei of the accessory optic system appeared to receive only contralateral retinal fibres. The retinal projections of the guinea pig follow the general plan recognized in the visual system of rodents demonstrated by modern tract-tracing techniques.