A Golgi Study of the Camel Cuneate Nucleus

Abstract

Neurons in the cuneate nucleus of the camel brain stem were studied by Golgi method. Six types of neurons were identified based on soma size and shape, density of dendritic trees, morphology and distribution of spines, and appendages. Type I neurons had large spherical somata with somatic appendages. Dendritic appendages were predominant on proximal dendrites with terminal flower-like appendages. Type II neurons had medium to large soma. Appendages and spines were found for the soma as well as along dendrites of different orders. Axons with local branches were seen for these neurons. Type III neurons were small to medium spheroidal or triangulated with large number of spines and appendages on all parts of neurons including soma, dendrites, and initial axonal segments. Axons of these neurons branch profusely and formed rich local axonal arborizations. Type IV medium-size neurons have bipolar, round, or fusiform soma with somatic spines. Their dendrites were sparsely branching with spines and terminal side branches. Type V neurons were spheroid or triangular with small soma with somatic appendages. Their dendrites were sparsely branching and terminate as thin spiny side branches. Type VI neurons were small-size unipolar, round, or fusiform with some dendritic spines and protrusions. These findings shed some light on the structure of the cuneate nucleus of one of the largest animals (the camel). Anat Rec, 295:2191Rec, 295: -2204Rec, 295: , 2012. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neuronal cell types in the anterior ventral thalamic nucleus of the camel

“…In fact, some neurons in the lateral geniculate body with morphological features similar to Golgi-type II neurons were found to be projection neurons (Pearson & Haines, 1980). Our results will be an addition to our previous findings on the gracile and cuneate nuclei Zaqout, Al-Hussain, Al-Saffar, & El-Dwairi, 2012) and shed some light on the neuronal structures in different brain regions of the camel. Collectively, these findings illustrate part of the adaptive mechanisms developed in camel as one of the species living in hard climate conditions.…”

“…Our results will be an addition to our previous findings on the gracile and cuneate nuclei (Al‐Hussain, Al‐saffar, & Zaqout, 2012; Zaqout, Al‐Hussain, Al‐Saffar, & El‐Dwairi, 2012) and shed some light on the neuronal structures in different brain regions of the camel. Collectively, these findings illustrate part of the adaptive mechanisms developed in camel as one of the species living in hard climate conditions.…”

A Golgi study of neurons in the camel cerebellum (Camelus dromedarius)

“…Herein, we investigated the neuronal morphology and several quantitative parameters of different types of neurons in the cerebellar cortex of camels and compared these neurons with their counterparts in other species. This study is a continuation of our previous findings in other camel brain regions (Al‐Hussain, Albostanji, Mustafa, & Zaqout, 2021; Al‐Hussain, Al‐Saffar, & Zaqout, 2012; Zaqout, Al‐Hussain, Al‐Saffar, & El‐Dwairi, 2012).…”

Functional and Anatomical Features of the Dorsal Column Nuclei in Mammals and Lower Animals

“…Golgi and/or Nissl studies of the DCN in rat [33,38], cat, [29,30,36,39] monkey [40] and camel [41,42] showed that it contain a heterogeneous neuronal population of various shapes and somata diameters (7µm -74µm). Using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) injection into ventropostero-lateral nucleus in the cat thalamus, gracilothalamic projection neurons identified as large cells (≥18µm in diameter) confined to a region known as the "cell nest region" [43,44].…”

“…The large size and heavy duties of the camel may create need to develop sophisticated balance system including well developed DCN (Figure 7). Recent Golgi studies on the camel Gr [41] and Cu [42] revealed the presence of a wide variety of neurons comprising a broad spectrum of sizes, shapes, dendritic density, dendritic branching pattern, somatic spines and appendages and dendritic spines and appendages. These studies demonstrated certain complex morphological features of neurons in the camel DCN such as wide variation of somatic and dendritic spines and appendages, flower-like dendritic ends, spiny axons and profusely branched axons.…”