Pyramidal cell heterogeneity in the visual cortex of the nocturnal new world owl monkey ( aotus trivirgatus)

• Published in: Neuroscience Vol. 117; no. 1; pp. 213 - 219
• Main Author: Elston, G.N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Aotus trivirgatus - anatomy & histology; Aotus trivirgatus - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Count - methods; Cell Size - physiology; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lucifer Yellow; primate; Pyramidal Cells - cytology; Pyramidal Cells - physiology; Sholl; spines; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Visual Cortex - cytology; Visual Cortex - physiology; primate; PB; OT; ITr; Sholl; spines; ITc; V1; Lucifer Yellow; IT; V2; V4; Visual cortex; Central nervous system; Monkey; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Visual pathway; Aotus trivirgatus; Morphology; Primates; Simioidea; Nocturnal animal; Pyramidal neuron; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0306-4522; 1873-7544
• DOI: 10.1016/S0306-4522(02)00806-0

Recent studies have revealed marked variation in pyramidal cell structure in the visual cortex of macaque and marmoset monkeys. In particular, there is a systematic increase in the size of, and number of spines in, the arbours of pyramidal cells with progression through occipitotemporal (OT) visual areas. In the present study we extend the basis for comparison by investigating pyramidal cell structure in OT visual areas of the nocturnal owl monkey. As in the diurnal macaque and marmoset monkeys, pyramidal cells became progressively larger and more spinous with anterior progression through OT visual areas. These data suggest that: 1. the trend for more complex pyramidal cells with anterior progression through OT visual areas is a fundamental organizational principle in primate cortex; 2. areal specialization of the pyramidal cell phenotype provides an anatomical substrate for the reconstruction of the visual scene in OT areas; 3. evolutionary specialization of different aspects of visual processing may determine the extent of interareal variation in the pyramidal cell phenotype in different species; and 4. pyramidal cell structure is not necessarily related to brain size.