Summary
Injections of tritiated tracer precursors into one eye revealed a highly variable lamination pattern of the LGN in the marmoset Callithrix. In one specimen, only four cell layers were apparent with some indication of further differentiation. In a second specimen, six almost complete relay layers were found in the occipital portion of the LGN. Three other animals showed stages between these two extremes. The lamination pattern of Callithrix thus represents an intermediate stage between a four-layered LGN suggested as the basic primate pattern, and the advanced six-layered LGN of most other anthropoid monkeys. In addition, bilateral retinal terminations were found consistently in layer 0, and contralateral terminations in a narrow band between the magnocellular and parvocellular portions of the nucleus, and within the interlaminar zone which separates the two magnocellular layers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bunt, A.H., Hendrickson, A.E., Lund, J.S., Lund, R.D., Fuchs, A.F.: Monkey retinal ganglion cells: morphometric analysis and tracing of axonal projections, with a consideration of the peroxidase technique. J Comp Neurol 164, 265–285 (1975)
Campbell, C.B.G., Jane, J.A., Yashon, D.: The retinal projections of the three shrew and hedgehog. Brain Res 5, 406–418 (1967)
Chacko, L.W.: The laminar pattern of the lateral geniculate body in the primates. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 11, 211–224 (1948)
Chacko, L.W.: The lateral geniculate body in the New World monkeys. J Anat Soc India 3, 62–74 (1954)
Clark, W.E. Le Gros, Penman, G.G.: The projection of the retina in the lateral geniculate body. Proc R Soc Lond [Biol] 114, 291–313 (1934)
Clark, W.E. Le Gros: The laminar organization and cell content of the lateral geniculate body in the monkey. J Anat 75, 419–433 (1941)
Cowan, W.M., Cuénod, M. (eds.): The use of axonal transport for studies of neuronal connectivity. pp. 1–365. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1975
Doty, R.W., Glickstein, M., Calvin, W.H.: Lamination of the lateral geniculate nucleus in the squirrel monkey, Saimiri sciureus. J Comp Neurol 127, 335–340 (1966)
Dreher, B., Fukuda, Y., Rodieck, R.W.: Identification, classification and anatomical segregation of cells with X-like and Y-like properties in the lateral geniculate nucleus of Old World primates. J Physiol (Lond) 258, 433–452 (1976)
Giolli, R.A., Tigges, J.: The primary optic pathways and nuclei of primates. In: Advances in primatology. Noback, C.R., Montagna, W. (eds.), Vol. 1, pp. 29–54. The primate brain. New York: Appleton-Century Crofts 1970
Guillery, R.W., Colonnier, M.: Synaptic pattern of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the monkey. Z Zellforsch 103, 90–108 (1970)
Hassler, R.: Comparative anatomy of the central visual systems in day- and night-active primates. In: Evolution of the forebrain. Hassler, R., Stephan, H. (eds.), pp. 419–434. Stuttgart: Thieme 1966
Hassler, R., Wagner, A.: The occipital lobe as integrator of four visual input systems and three regulating output systems. Acta Neurol Lat Am 17, 137–155 (1971)
Hubel, D.H., Wiesel, T.N.: Laminar and columnar distribution of geniculo-cortical fibers in the macaque monkey. J Comp Neurol 146, 421–450 (1972)
Hubel, D.H., Wiesel, T.N., LeVay, S.: Plasticity of ocular dominance columns in monkey striate cortex. Phil Trans R Soc Lond [Biol] 278, 377–409 (1977)
Jacobs, G.H.: Transneuronal changes in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the squirrel monkey, Saimiri sciureus. J Comp Neurol 135, 81–84 (1969)
Kaas, J.H., Guillery, R.W., Allman, J.M.: Some principles of organization in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Brain Behav Evol 6, 253–299 (1972)
Kaas, J.H., Lin, C.S., Casagrande, V.A.: The relay of ipsilateral and contralateral retinal input from the lateral geniculate nucleus to striate cortex in the owl monkey: a transneuronal transport study. Brain Res 106, 371–378 (1976)
Krüger, J.: The shift-effect in the lateral geniculate body of the rhesus monkey. Exp Brain Res 29, 387–392 (1977)
Malpeli, J.G., Baker, F.H.: The representation of the visual field in the lateral geniculate nucleus of Macaca mulatta. J Comp Neurol 161, 569–594 (1975)
Rakic, P.: Genesis of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the rhesus monkey: site and time of origin, kinetics of proliferation, routes of migration and pattern of distribution of neurons. J Comp Neurol 176, 23–52 (1977)
Schiller, P.H., Malpeli, J.G.: Functional specificity of lateral geniculate nucleus laminae of the rhesus monkey. J Neurophysiol 41, 788–797 (1978)
Sherman, S.M., Wilson, J.R., Kaas, J.H., Webb, S.V.: X- and Y-cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus). Science 192, 475–477 (1976)
Spatz, W.B., Erdmann, G.: Striate cortex projections to the lateral geniculate and other thalamic nuclei; a study using degeneration and autoradiographic tracing methods in the marmoset Callithrix. Brain Res 82, 91–108 (1974)
Stephan, H.: Quantitative investigations on visual structures in primate brains. Proc 2nd int Congr Primat 3, 34–42 (1969)
Tigges, J., Bos, J., Tigges, M.: An autoradiographic investigation of the subcortical visual system in chimpanzee. J Comp Neurol 172, 367–380 (1977)
Tigges, J., O'Steen, W.K.: Termination of retinofugal fibers in squirrel monkey: a re-investigation using autoradiographic methods. Brain Res 79, 489–495 (1974)
Tigges, M., Tigges, J.: The retinofugal fibers and their terminal nuclei in Galago crassicaudatus (primates). J Comp Neurol 138, 87–102 (1970)
Wong-Riley, M.T.T.: Terminal degeneration and glial reactions in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the squirrel monkey after eye removal. J. Comp Neurol 114, 61–92 (1972)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Spatz, W.B. The retino-geniculo-cortical pathway in callithrix I. Intraspecific variations in the lamination pattern of the lateral geniculate nucleus. Exp. Brain Res. 33, 551–563 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235574
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235574