A golgi and a combined Golgi/GABA immunogold study of local circuit neurons in the homing pigeon hippocampus

• Published in: Anatomy and Embryology Vol. 201; no. 3; pp. 181 - 196
• Main Authors: Tömböl, T, Davies, D C, Németh, A, Alpár, A, Sebestény, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Springer Nature B.V 01.03.2000
• Subjects: Animals; Axons; Axons - metabolism; Axons - ultrastructure; Circuits; Columbidae - anatomy & histology; Cytochemistry; Dendrites; Dendrites - ultrastructure; Embryology; gamma -Aminobutyric acid; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism; Golgi apparatus; Hippocampus; Hippocampus - cytology; Homing behavior; Immunohistochemistry; Microscopes; Microscopy, Electron; Neurons; Neurons - metabolism; Neurons - ultrastructure; Pyramidal cells; Synapses; Synaptic vesicles
• ISSN: 0340-2061; 1863-2653; 1432-0568; 0340-2061
• DOI: 10.1007/s004290050017

Three types of local circuit neurons have recently been reported in the homing pigeon hippocampus. The principal type appears to be constituted by the medium-sized angular or ovoid local circuit neurons that occur in all layers of the hippocampus. The current Golgi study has revealed that these neurons can be classified according to their axonal arborisation extension: (1) in all directions, (2) principally medio-laterally, or (3) dorso-ventrally. The local circuit neurons with dorso-ventral axon arborisation are present only in the subpyramidal layer. Serial sections of a Golgi-impregnated medium-sized, multiangular local circuit neuron in the pyramidal layer and a small, ovoid neuron in the suprapyramidal layer were investigated in the electron microscope. Some of these sections were processed for GABA immunogold cytochemistry. The soma and large dendrites of both neurons displayed GABA immunogold labelling. On the soma of medium-sized local circuit neuron there were numerous terminals; on the soma of the small one relatively fewer terminals were observed. The terminals contained round and/or flat synaptic vesicles. The long axonal branches of the neurons exhibited varicosities containing flattened or pleomorphic vesicles. Axo-dendritic, axo-somatic and a few axo-axonic synapses were observed. The large dense axon arborisation field of medium-sized local circuit neurons is properly situated to modulate intrinsic hippocampal activity and that of the small local circuit neurons is well situated to modulate the hippocampal input in the suprapyramidal layer.