The morphology of spinocervical tract neurones revealed by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase. 1977

A G Brown, and P K Rose, and P J Snow

1. The morphology of physiologically identified spinocervical tract neurones was studied using the intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase in anaesthetized cats.2. Thirty-six spinocervical tract neurones were reconstructed from serial sections of the lumbosacral spinal cord, cut in either the transverse or longitudinal planes.3. Horseradish peroxidase provided a more complete picture of the dendrites of spinocervical tract neurones than earlier experiments using Procion Yellow injection (Brown, House, Rose & Snow, 1976a). The longitudinal (rostro-caudal) spread of dendrites from an individual cell was much greater in the present material; neurones in the medial parts of the dorsal horn had dendrites extending for about 500 mum from the soma (1 mm total spread) and neurones in the lateral horn had dendrites extending for about 1 mm from the soma (2 mm total spread). However, the conclusions of the earlier work, on the medio-lateral and dorso-ventral extents of dendritic trees, together with the shapes of dendritic trees viewed as reconstructions in the transverse plane, have been confirmed. Dendrites of spinocervical tract cells barely entered lamina II of Rexed: they often ran in the longitudinal direction along the border between laminae II and III for several hundred mum. Dendritic spines were observed on many spinocervical tract neurones.4. Horseradish peroxidase reaction product stained up to 2.5 cm of the axon of spinocervical tract neurones. Axons usually pursued a tortuous path through the grey matter close to the cell body, giving off up to six collaterals before entering the ipsilateral dorsolateral funiculus. In the funiculus, further collaterals often arose at distances of up to 5.5 mm from the soma; these collaterals ran back into the dorsal horn. Collaterals could be traced sometimes to presumed terminal boutons. The majority of collateral terminal arborizations was between the level of the cell body and 500 mum ventral to it (in laminae IV and V). They were, however, in the same medio-lateral and rostro-caudal region as the dendritic tree of the parent cell.5. It is concluded that the spinocervical tract must now be considered as having a segmental function, in addition to its function of forwarding information towards the cerebral cortex.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008161 Lumbosacral Region Region of the back including the LUMBAR VERTEBRAE, SACRUM, and nearby structures. Lumbar Region,Lumbar Regions,Lumbosacral Regions,Region, Lumbar,Region, Lumbosacral,Regions, Lumbar,Regions, Lumbosacral
D009434 Neural Pathways Neural tracts connecting one part of the nervous system with another. Neural Interconnections,Interconnection, Neural,Interconnections, Neural,Neural Interconnection,Neural Pathway,Pathway, Neural,Pathways, Neural
D009474 Neurons The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM. Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
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
D003712 Dendrites Extensions of the nerve cell body. They are short and branched and receive stimuli from other NEURONS. Dendrite
D006735 Horseradish Peroxidase An enzyme isolated from horseradish which is able to act as an antigen. It is frequently used as a histochemical tracer for light and electron microscopy. Its antigenicity has permitted its use as a combined antigen and marker in experimental immunology. Alpha-Peroxidase,Ferrihorseradish Peroxidase,Horseradish Peroxidase II,Horseradish Peroxidase III,Alpha Peroxidase,II, Horseradish Peroxidase,III, Horseradish Peroxidase,Peroxidase II, Horseradish,Peroxidase III, Horseradish,Peroxidase, Ferrihorseradish,Peroxidase, Horseradish
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
D001369 Axons Nerve fibers that are capable of rapidly conducting impulses away from the neuron cell body. Axon
D013116 Spinal Cord A cylindrical column of tissue that lies within the vertebral canal. It is composed of WHITE MATTER and GRAY MATTER. Coccygeal Cord,Conus Medullaris,Conus Terminalis,Lumbar Cord,Medulla Spinalis,Myelon,Sacral Cord,Thoracic Cord,Coccygeal Cords,Conus Medullari,Conus Terminali,Cord, Coccygeal,Cord, Lumbar,Cord, Sacral,Cord, Spinal,Cord, Thoracic,Cords, Coccygeal,Cords, Lumbar,Cords, Sacral,Cords, Spinal,Cords, Thoracic,Lumbar Cords,Medulla Spinali,Medullari, Conus,Medullaris, Conus,Myelons,Sacral Cords,Spinal Cords,Spinali, Medulla,Spinalis, Medulla,Terminali, Conus,Terminalis, Conus,Thoracic Cords

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