QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (38) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yamamoto, N. Articles by Toyama, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yamamoto, N. Articles by Toyama, K.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Volume 17, Number 10, Issue of May 15, 1997 pp. 3653-3663
Copyright ©1997 Society for Neuroscience

Stop and Branch Behaviors of Geniculocortical Axons: A Time-Lapse Study in Organotypic Cocultures

Received May 15, 1996; revised Feb. 16, 1997; accepted Feb. 24, 1997.

Nobuhiko Yamamoto¹, Shuji Higashi², and Keisuke Toyama²

¹ Department of Biophysical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560, Japan, and ² Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602, Japan

The behavior of growing thalamic axons was studied in an organotypic coculture of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) with the visual cortex (VC) to reveal cellular interactions that underlie the formation of lamina-specific thalamocortical connections. The LGN explant was placed at the ventral side, pial surface, or lateral edge of the VC explant, and fluorescent dye-labeled LGN axons were observed by confocal microscopy in fixed and living tissue. The axonal projection pattern in fixed cocultures after 1 week in vitro demonstrated that, in all three configurations, LGN axons formed primitive branches mainly in layer 4. A time-lapse study further examined axonal growth and branch formation in the living cortical explant. The majority of branches emerged within layer 4 behind the axonal tip, regardless of the direction of axonal entry. In addition, most axons entering from the ventral or pial side of the VC exhibited a transient or persistent stop of axonal growth in and around layer 4, whereas those entering from the lateral edge of the VC traveled along layer 4 without exhibiting stop behavior. The axonal stop often was accompanied by growth cone collapse and a slight retraction. These results suggest the existence of branch and stop cues in layer 4 of the cortex that are recognized by LGN axons.

Key words: axonal branch; target recognition; neocortex; thalamus; growth cone; collapse; time-lapse study; organotypic culture

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Hayano and N. Yamamoto Activity-Dependent Thalamocortical Axon Branching Neuroscientist, August 1, 2008; 14(4): 359 - 368. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. J. Galazo, V. Martinez-Cerdeno, C. Porrero, and F. Clasca Embryonic and Postnatal Development of the Layer I-Directed ("Matrix") Thalamocortical System in the Rat Cereb Cortex, February 1, 2008; 18(2): 344 - 363. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Uesaka, Y. Hayano, A. Yamada, and N. Yamamoto Interplay between Laminar Specificity and Activity-Dependent Mechanisms of Thalamocortical Axon Branching J. Neurosci., May 9, 2007; 27(19): 5215 - 5223. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Uesaka, E. S. Ruthazer, and N. Yamamoto The Role of Neural Activity in Cortical Axon Branching Neuroscientist, April 1, 2006; 12(2): 102 - 106. [Abstract] [PDF]

				N. Uesaka, S. Hirai, T. Maruyama, E. S. Ruthazer, and N. Yamamoto Activity Dependence of Cortical Axon Branch Formation: A Morphological and Electrophysiological Study Using Organotypic Slice Cultures J. Neurosci., January 5, 2005; 25(1): 1 - 9. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Zhong, M. Takemoto, T. Fukuda, Y. Hattori, F. Murakami, D. Nakajima, M. Nakayama, and N. Yamamoto Identification of the Genes that are Expressed in the Upper Layers of the Neocortex Cereb Cortex, October 1, 2004; 14(10): 1144 - 1152. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Poskanzer, L. A. Needleman, O. Bozdagi, and G. W. Huntley N-Cadherin Regulates Ingrowth and Laminar Targeting of Thalamocortical Axons J. Neurosci., March 15, 2003; 23(6): 2294 - 2305. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Mann, C. Peuckert, F. Dehner, R. Zhou, and J. Bolz Ephrins regulate the formation of terminal axonal arbors during the development of thalamocortical projections Development, March 10, 2003; 129(16): 3945 - 3955. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Mizuhashi, N. Nishiyama, N. Matsuki, and Y. Ikegaya Cyclic Nucleotide-Mediated Regulation of Hippocampal Mossy Fiber Development: A Target-Specific Guidance J. Neurosci., August 15, 2001; 21(16): 6181 - 6194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Szebenyi, E. W. Dent, J. L. Callaway, C. Seys, H. Lueth, and K. Kalil Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Promotes Axon Branching of Cortical Neurons by Influencing Morphology and Behavior of the Primary Growth Cone J. Neurosci., June 1, 2001; 21(11): 3932 - 3941. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. C. Noctor, S. L. Palmer, D. F. McLaughlin, and S. L. Juliano Disruption of Layers 3 and 4 during Development Results in Altered Thalamocortical Projections in Ferret Somatosensory Cortex J. Neurosci., May 1, 2001; 21(9): 3184 - 3195. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Yamamoto, K. Inui, Y. Matsuyama, A. Harada, K. Hanamura, F. Murakami, E. S. Ruthazer, U. Rutishauser, and T. Seki Inhibitory Mechanism by Polysialic Acid for Lamina-Specific Branch Formation of Thalamocortical Axons J. Neurosci., December 15, 2000; 20(24): 9145 - 9151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Skaliora, R. Adams, and C. Blakemore Morphology and Growth Patterns of Developing Thalamocortical Axons J. Neurosci., May 15, 2000; 20(10): 3650 - 3662. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J. Diefenbach, P. B. Guthrie, and S. B. Kater Stimulus History Alters Behavioral Responses of Neuronal Growth Cones J. Neurosci., February 15, 2000; 20(4): 1484 - 1494. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. W. Dent, J. L. Callaway, G. Szebenyi, P. W. Baas, and K. Kalil Reorganization and Movement of Microtubules in Axonal Growth Cones and Developing Interstitial Branches J. Neurosci., October 15, 1999; 19(20): 8894 - 8908. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Szebenyi, J. L. Callaway, E. W. Dent, and K. Kalil Interstitial Branches Develop from Active Regions of the Axon Demarcated by the Primary Growth Cone during Pausing Behaviors J. Neurosci., October 1, 1998; 18(19): 7930 - 7940. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help