GABA-like immunoreactivity of neurons in the chicken diencephalon and mesencephalon

The chick brain is a useful model system for studying the ontogeny and phylogeny of neural circuitry, especially that of the visual system. In this study the distribution of cells and processes showing GABA-like immunoreactivity (GABA+) in the diencephalon and mesencephalon of the posthatch chick wa...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of comparative neurology (1911) Vol. 287; no. 4; p. 455
Main Authors Granda, R H, Crossland, W J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 22.09.1989
Subjects
Animals
Chickens - metabolism
Diencephalon - cytology
Diencephalon - metabolism
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
Mesencephalon - cytology
Mesencephalon - metabolism
Visual Pathways - cytology
Visual Pathways - metabolism
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:The chick brain is a useful model system for studying the ontogeny and phylogeny of neural circuitry, especially that of the visual system. In this study the distribution of cells and processes showing GABA-like immunoreactivity (GABA+) in the diencephalon and mesencephalon of the posthatch chick was determined immunohistochemically with a polyclonal antibody to GABA and compared with the results of similar studies in mammals. Most of the small GABA+ cells were found in the chick visual centers such as the nucleus lateralis anterior, suprachiasmatic nucleus, ventral lateral geniculate, optic tract, dorsolateralis anterior pars lateralis, lentiformis mesencephali, ectomammillary nucleus, area pretectalis, and the optic tectum. Large GABA+ cells were found in the following nuclei: reticularis superior, posteroventralis thalami, subpretectalis, isthmi pars magnocellularis, interstitio-pretectosubpretectalis, mesencephalicus lateralis pars dorsalis. These large cell-containing nuclei receive projections from visual or auditory centers. GABA+ axons were found throughout the diencephalon and mesencephalon but were especially prominent in the ansa lenticularis, fasciculus medialis longitudinalis, and optic tract. The distribution of GABA+ cells in the chick is more widespread than in rodents and exhibits an increased association with the visual centers suggesting a correlation with the specialized visual requirements of the bird.
ISSN:0021-9967
DOI:10.1002/cne.902870405