The upper layers of the superior colliculus of the rat: A Golgi study

Abstract

A number of questions deriving from a previous electron microscopic study of the superficial layers of the rat superior colliculus pointed out the need for a comprehensive study of the cell types of the superior colliculus and their detailed morphology. In the present Golgi study the cells of the superficial layers of the superior colliculus were found to be of five major types; marginal cells, horizontal cells, narrow field vertical cells, wide field vertical cells, and stellate cells. Some of these categories were further subdivided. Each cell type has a distinctive set of dendritic field characteristics, a regional distribution, and consistent axon characteristics. The horizontal cells were found to have a preference in the orientation of their dendrites along the vertical and horizontal axes of the visual field projection upon the superior colliculus. It is argued that the horizontal cells are the presynaptic elements in the majority of the dendrodendritic synapses.

Removal of the cortical projections alters expression of NOS in the different cell types of the superficial layers of the superior colliculus in rats

“…The staining pattern in these animals was also very similar to the pattern described in control animals SC (non operated) (data not shown). In normal animals we have demonstrated that (Tenório et al 1996), a sub-population of all the different cell types described with the Golgi staining in the rat SC (Langer and Lund 1974) expressed NOS (Tenório et al 1996). The same cell types were also stained in both deafferented and afferented SC of the ablated animals.…”

The primary visual system of the rat: A primer of its anatomy

“…As previously indicated, the optical layer is continuous with the brachium of the superior colliculus, which in turn is a continuation of the optic tract, as will be more fully described below. The medial gray layer is a layer of cell bodies principally of the multipolar variety (Langer & Lund, 1974). While the major portion of the medial gray layer is typically considered with the deeper, nonvisual, layers of the superior colliculus, certain investigators have noted the termination of both retinofugal and corticofugal fibers in this layer, at least in Nautastained material.…”

“…The description of cell types within the superior colliculus rests upon Golgi-prepared material, with the most recent description offered by the excellent observations of Langer and Lund (1974). However, while the descriptions provided by Langer and Lund are most detailed, they are, in one sense, somewhat difficult to become accustomed to since they are referenced to Cajal's zonal organization of the superior colliculus.…”

“…Langer and Lund (1974) also distinguish two general categories ofaxons within the superior colliculus, intrinsic axons and extrinsic axons, with each category being composed of two types. The types of intrinsic axons are descriptively labeled the smooth and direct intrinsic axon and the branched and rough intrinsic axon.…”

GABAergic mechanisms for shaping transient visual responses in the mouse superior colliculus

“…We could not recover or had to discard morphological data for the remaining 21 neurons because labeling was not observed in 6 cases, it was too faint to trace dendritic arbors in 5 cases, or 2 or more neurons were labeled in 10 cases (although only 1 neuron was targeted in each of those recordings). Based on the location of soma and somatodendritic morphologies (Langer and Lund, 1974; Tokunaga and 15 Otani, 1976;Labriola and Laemle, 1977;Mooney et al, 1985Mooney et al, , 1988Edwards et al, 2002), we classified the labeled neurons into 7 types ( Fig. 2A), including wide-field vertical (WFV; n = 4; Fig.…”