Electron microscopic observations on the retino-preoptic pathway of Rana temporaria L.

Vullings, H. G. B.; Heussen, Astrid M. A.

doi:10.1007/bf00220366

Cited by 12 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 14 publications

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“…The only place where all (but few) retinal afferents terminate among perikarya of neurons is the preoptic nucleus or area, which is not listed among visual centers. However, some thin retinal fibers arborize here (Lázá r, 1978) and establish synaptic connections (Vullings and Heussen, 1975) that may modify endocrine regulatory functions of the hypothalamus. Using immunohistochemistry, all peptides, except calcitonin gene-related peptide and urotensin II, were found in the preoptic area, both in cells and fibers, but this will not be further discussed.…”

Section: Brain Areas Receiving Afferentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peptides in frog brain areas processing visual information

Lázár

2001

Microscopy Res & Technique

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Vision is the most important sensory modality to anurans and a great deal of work in terms of hodological, physiological, and behavioral studies has been devoted to the visual system. The aim of this account is to survey data about the distribution of peptides in primary (lateral geniculate complex, pretectum, tectum) and secondary (striatum, anterodorsal and anteroventral tegmental nuclei, isthmic nucleus) visual relay centers. The emphasis is on general traits but interspecies variations are also noted. The smallest amount of peptide-containing neuronal elements was found in the lateral geniculate complex, where primarily nerve fibers showed immunostaining. All peptides found in the lateral geniculate complex, except two, occurred in the pretectum together with four other peptides. A large number of neurons showing intense neuropeptide thyrosine-like immunoreactivity was characteristic here. The mesencephalic tectum was the richest in peptide-like immunoreactive neuronal elements. Almost all peptides investigated were present mainly in fibers, but 9 peptides were found also in cells. The immunoreactive fibers show a complicated overlapping laminar arrangement. Cholecystokinin octapeptide, enkephalins, neuropeptide tyrosine, and substance P (not discussed here) gave the most prominent immunoreactivity. Several peptides also occur in the tectum of fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Peptides in various combinations were found in the striatum, the anterodorsal- and anteroventral tegmental nucleus, and the isthmic nucleus that receive projections from the primary visual centers. The functional significance of peptides in visual information processing is not known. The only exception is neuropeptide tyrosine, which was found to be inhibitory on retinotectal synapses.

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Section: Brain Areas Receiving Afferentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peptides in frog brain areas processing visual information

Lázár

2001

Microscopy Res & Technique

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Nuclear organization of the bullfrog diencephalon

Neary

Northcutt

1983

J of Comparative Neurology

342

188

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A cytoarchitectonic analysis was performed on the diencephalic nuclei of the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana. The epithalamus contains two widely recognized habenular nuclei. The thalamus has three subdivisions: dorsal and ventral thalamus, and posterior tuberculum. The dorsal thalamus may be further parcelled into anterior, middle, and posterior zones. Connectional data from other studies support this zonation. The anterior zone projects to the telencephalic pallium. The middle zone nuclei receive a strong input from the midbrain roof and project to the telencephalic striatal complex. The posterior zone nuclei do not appear to project to the telencephalon; they may eventually be placed in the pretectum, a transitional area between the diencephalon and mesencephalon. Two of the ventral thalamic populations have been frequently placed in the dorsal thalamus and called the nucleus rotundus and the lateral geniculate nucleus. These terms imply homology with sauropsid dorsal thalamic nuclei, but our analysis and current connectional information do not support such homologies. We have given these populations more neutral names. The hypothalamus is divisible into a preoptic and infundibular hypothalamus, and the preoptic area can be further separated into anterior and posterior preoptic areas. The posterior area contains the magnocellular preoptic nucleus and a dorsal arm of this nucleus, often placed in the ventral thalamus, was recognized. We have tentatively placed the posterior entopeduncular nucleus in the hypothalamus.

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Sexual dimorphism in the vasotocin system of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Boyd

Tyler

Vries

1992

J of Comparative Neurology

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Arginine vasotocin (AVT) is widespread in amphibian brains, where its levels have been correlated with reproductive behaviors. To better understand which neural systems are involved in central actions of AVT, we used immunocytochemistry to compare the distribution of AVT in the brains of male and female bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana). AVT-immunoreactive cells were observed in the septal nucleus, amygdala pars lateralis, magnocellular preoptic area, suprachiasmatic nucleus, and hypothalamus. AVT-immunoreactive cells were also found in the pretrigeminal nucleus, but only in animals killed in the fall. Immunoreactive fibers were broadly distributed in hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic areas. The most obvious sex differences were found in the amygdala pars lateralis, where the density of immunoreactive cells and fibers was significantly greater in male than in female bullfrogs. In addition, in the habenular nucleus, males had a denser distribution of AVT-immunoreactive fibers than females. In the suprachiasmatic nucleus, AVT-immunoreactive cells were larger in females than in males but did not differ in number. Since the areas that showed sex differences in AVT distribution have also been implicated in control of reproductive behaviors, they may form the neural substrates for the effects of AVT on sexually dimorphic behaviors in amphibians.

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Electron microscopic observations on the retino-preoptic pathway of Rana temporaria L.

Cited by 12 publications

References 14 publications

Peptides in frog brain areas processing visual information

Peptides in frog brain areas processing visual information

Nuclear organization of the bullfrog diencephalon

Sexual dimorphism in the vasotocin system of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

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