Experimental Brain Research

, Volume 79, Issue 2, pp 345–356 | Cite as

Morphological classification and retinal distribution of large ganglion cells in the retina ofBufo marinus

  • C. Straznicky
  • P. Tóth
  • V. S. Nguyen
Article
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Accepted:

Summary

The retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and cobaltic-lysine complex (CLC) was used to morphologically characterize large ganglion cells (GCs) and to determine their distribution in retinal wholemounts and in sectioned material in the retina ofBufo marinus. Large GCs, amounting to about 0.5% of total GC population, were defined to be those with very large dendritic field sizes varying between 0.1 mm2 to 0.6 mm2 and cell soma sizes of between 100 μm2 to 400 μm2. These cells were subdivided into 3 major groups, Types I, II and III, on the basis of their dendritic field sizes, arborization patterns and the strata of dendritic branching within the inner plexiform layer (IPL). The majority of large neurons (about 90%) were classified as Type I GCs with symmetrical dendritic arbor. These cells had either bistratified branching in the scierai and vitreal sublaminae of the IPL (65% of Type I Cells) or unistratified branching in the scleral (26%) or in the vitreal (9%) sublamina. Their dendritic field sizes increased linearly from the retinal centre from 0.13 mm±0.02 mm2 (mean and S.D.) to 0.58±0.11 mm2 in the retinal periphery. Type II GCs (about 9% of the large GC population) were characterized by an asymmetrical dendritic arborization directed towards the ciliary margin with unistratified branching in the scierai sublamina of the IPL. The mean dendritic field sizes of these cells were 0.26±0.09 mm2. Type III GCs, the least frequent (about 1%) category of large GCs had sparsely branching, elongated dendritic branching aligned approximately parallel with the nasotemporal axis of the retina. The unistratified dendritic branches of these neurons were located in the vitreal sublamina of the IPL with a mean dendritic field size of 0.42±0.11 mm2. The dendritic field sizes of Types II and III GCs did not increase with retinal eccentricity. Type I GCs were distributed unevenly across the retina, the density being greatest in the visual streak, along the nasotemporal meridian of the retina. The dendritic field sizes of these cells increased towards the retinal periphery, resulting in a constant dendritic field coverage factor across the retina. Each retinal point was covered by the dendritic fields of 4–5 adjacent GCs. In contrast, Types II and III GCs had only discontinuous dendritic coverage. The identification of morphological types of large GCs with previously described functional classes of GCs in the anuran retina is discussed.

Key words

Retinal ganglion cells Dendritic field Retinal distribution Horseradish peroxidase Cobaltic-lysine complex Bufo marinus 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1990

Authors and Affiliations

  • C. Straznicky
    • 1
  • P. Tóth
    • 1
  • V. S. Nguyen
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Anatomy and HistologySchool of Medicine, Flinders University of South AustraliaAdelaideAustralia

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