Biomaterial Database

Residual cerebellothalamic terminal fields following hemispherectomy in the cat. 1982

J P McAllister, and C E Olmstead, and J R Villablanca, and F Goméz

Tritiated amino acids were injected into the nucleus interpositus, both the anterior (INA) and posterior (INP) divisions, and the projections to the ventrolateral nucleus (VL) of the thalamus mapped autoradiographically in 7 intact and 8 hemispherectomized adult cats. Five hemispherectomized cats receiving injections into the antero-medial one-third of INP, exhibited terminal fields in lateral portions of the contralateral VL. These terminals were patchy and appeared qualitatively identical to those seen in intact animals. In 3 hemispherectomized cats sparse terminal fields were also observed in both normal and gliotic regions of the parafascicular, central lateral, anterior pretectal and posterior thalamic nuclei. The presence of these terminal fields was specific to the injections into the INP. The density of the terminal labeling was greater in the hemispherectomized than in the intact cats. The VL areas receiving these terminals were conspicuously gliotic and devoid of large thalamocortical relay neurons. These results indicate that the INP projections to the VL persist despite degeneration of the thalamocortical neurons, suggesting that the site of the residual terminals is not directly upon such neurons. Attempts at reorganization are discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009435	Synaptic Transmission	The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES.	Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D001931	Brain Mapping	Imaging techniques used to colocalize sites of brain functions or physiological activity with brain structures.	Brain Electrical Activity Mapping,Functional Cerebral Localization,Topographic Brain Mapping,Brain Mapping, Topographic,Functional Cerebral Localizations,Mapping, Brain,Mapping, Topographic Brain
D002415	Cats	The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801)	Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D002531	Cerebellum	The part of brain that lies behind the BRAIN STEM in the posterior base of skull (CRANIAL FOSSA, POSTERIOR). It is also known as the "little brain" with convolutions similar to those of CEREBRAL CORTEX, inner white matter, and deep cerebellar nuclei. Its function is to coordinate voluntary movements, maintain balance, and learn motor skills.	Cerebella,Corpus Cerebelli,Parencephalon,Cerebellums,Parencephalons
D000596	Amino Acids	Organic compounds that generally contain an amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-COOH) group. Twenty alpha-amino acids are the subunits which are polymerized to form proteins.	Amino Acid,Acid, Amino,Acids, Amino
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013788	Thalamus	Paired bodies containing mostly GRAY MATTER and forming part of the lateral wall of the THIRD VENTRICLE of the brain.	Thalamencephalon,Thalamencephalons