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An electron microscopic study of the neurons of the visual cortex

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Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

Three types of cell groups were observed in area 17 of the visual cortex of the rhesus monkey with electron microscopy: pyramidal, large non-pyramidal and small non-pyramidal neurons. Differences in shape, size, intracytoplasmic organelles and nuclear characteristics were found in detail. The few synapses on the somata of pyramidal cells are associated with symmetrical membrane contacts and the somata of large and small non-pyramidal neurons have both symmetrical and asymmetrical synapses, varying in number. A quantitative study showed that approximately 60% of the cells were pyramidal, 7% large non-pyramidal and 33% small non-pyramidal, and that the proportions of the different cell types were very similar to those in the motor and somatic sensory areas.

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Tömböl, T. An electron microscopic study of the neurons of the visual cortex. J Neurocytol 3, 525–531 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01098738

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01098738

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