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Retinofugal projections in the rufous horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus rouxi

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Summary

The retinal projections in the horseshoe bat were studied with anterograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase. Retinal fibers clearly terminate bilaterally in the lateral geniculate nuclei, superior colliculus, pretectal area, and nucleus of the optic tract. The suprachiasmatic nucleus and the lateral terminal nucleus of the accessory optic tract receive extremely weak, though bilateral retinal input. No projections to medial and dorsal accessory optic nuclei were found. There was a limited retinal projection to the ipsilateral dorsal geniculate nucleus. The focus of the ipsilateral projection corresponded to a less densely labeled region on the contralateral side. In this study an ipsilateral retinal projection to the anterior superior colliculus is documented for the first time in a Microchiropteran bat. In the contralateral superior colliculus retinal fibers terminate in a patch-like pattern at caudal levels.

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Abbreviations

BSC :

brachium of the SC

CH :

optic chiasm

CP :

cerebral peduncle

IGL :

intergeniculate leaflet

dLGN :

dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus

vLGN :

ventral lateral geniculate nucleus: d dorsal, i intermediate, v ventral subdivision

LTN :

lateral terminal nucleus of accessory optic system

MGN :

medial geniculate nucleus

NOT :

nucleus of the optic tract

NSCH :

suprachiasmatic nucleus

ON :

optic nerve

OT :

optic tract

PA :

pretectal area

PON :

pretectal olivary nucleus

Rh.r. :

Rhinolophus rouxi

SC :

superior colliculus

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  1. Zoologisches Institut der Universität München, Luisenstrasse 14, D-8000, München 2, Federal Republic of Germany

    Katrin Reimer

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  1. Katrin Reimer
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Reimer, K. Retinofugal projections in the rufous horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus rouxi . Anat Embryol 180, 89–98 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00321904

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