PMID- 8738372
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19961203
LR  - 20190721
IS  - 0014-4819 (Print)
IS  - 0014-4819 (Linking)
VI  - 109
IP  - 2
DP  - 1996 May
TI  - Reevaluation of synaptic relationships of cerebellar terminals in the ventral 
      lateral nucleus of the rhesus monkey thalamus based on serial section analysis 
      and three-dimensional reconstruction.
PG  - 219-39
AB  - Terminals of cerebellar afferents (CB) to different regions of the ventral 
      lateral nucleus (VL) of the rhesus monkey thalamus were labeled with wheat germ 
      agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase following injections into the dentate nucleus. 
      Synaptic relationships of 17 CB with projection neuron dendrites (PNd) and local 
      circuit neuron dendrites (LCNd) were analyzed in serial ultrathin sections from 
      dorsal and ventral VL regions, which are known to differ cytoarchitecturally and 
      functionally. Three terminals were reconstructed using three-dimensional (3D) 
      computer image analysis techniques to obtain volumetric and planar measurements. 
      CB in the ventral VL were often flat and elongated with synaptic vesicles 
      arranged in clusters. Each CB was engaged with one PNd and one to four LCNd. A 
      single bouton formed 8-50 synaptic contacts, with those on PNd outnumbering the 
      ones on LCNd 4.1:1. Only some CB in the ventral VL were engaged in complex 
      synaptic arrangements such as triads and serial synapses. Most CB in the dorsal 
      VL displayed a roundish shape and numerous uniformly distributed synaptic 
      vesicles. They formed 5-25 synaptic contacts with a 3:1 ratio of contacts on PNd 
      compared with those on LCNd. CB in the dorsal VL participated in a variety of 
      complex synaptic arrangements. Two types of triads were found: classic with CB, 
      PNd and LCNd, and unconventional with CB and two LCNd. CB were also involved in 
      serial synapses with two LCNd or LCNd and another PNd, and serial sequential 
      synapses with two LCNd and a PNd. Three glomerulus-like structures were 
      encountered in the dorsal VL. 3D reconstruction and volumetric measurements 
      revealed that synaptic contacts formed by CB on PNd had varying shapes and sizes 
      (0.022-0.274 microns2). Synapses formed on LCNd were larger (0.09-0.407 
      microns2). The total area of all active zones of a single CB on LCNd was either 
      equal to or about 40% smaller than that of synapses on PNd. The entire active 
      zone area comprised 1-1.6% of the total CB surface area and did not seem to 
      correlate with the volume. Synaptic contacts formed by associated LCNd on PNd in 
      complex arrangements were usually small (0.021-0.044 micron2). The results 
      suggest that: synapses formed by CB on PNd and LCNd, and synapses formed by LCNd 
      on PNd may differ in strength; a variety of different circuits participate in the 
      processing of cerebellar afferent information in the primate VL; and these 
      circuits differ in functionally different VL subdivisions.
FAU - Mason, A
AU  - Mason A
AD  - Department of Anatomy, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242, 
      USA.
FAU - Ilinsky, I A
AU  - Ilinsky IA
FAU - Beck, S
AU  - Beck S
FAU - Kultas-Ilinsky, K
AU  - Kultas-Ilinsky K
LA  - eng
GR  - R0I NS24188/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
PL  - Germany
TA  - Exp Brain Res
JT  - Experimental brain research
JID - 0043312
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Cerebellum/*anatomy & histology
MH  - Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
MH  - Macaca mulatta
MH  - Male
MH  - Microscopy, Electron
MH  - Neural Pathways/*anatomy & histology
MH  - Presynaptic Terminals/*ultrastructure
MH  - Thalamus/*ultrastructure
EDAT- 1996/05/01 00:00
MHDA- 1996/05/01 00:01
CRDT- 1996/05/01 00:00
PHST- 1996/05/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1996/05/01 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1996/05/01 00:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1007/BF00231783 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Exp Brain Res. 1996 May;109(2):219-39. doi: 10.1007/BF00231783.