RESUMO
Large numbers of neurons were retrogradely labeled in both the dorsal and ventral medial terminal nucleus (MTN) after fluoro-gold injections into the rat pretectal nucleus of the optic tract/dorsal terminal nucleus (NOT/DTN). Fluorescence immunocytochemistry for GABA in the same brains revealed GABA-positive neurons distributed mainly in the dorsal MTN. Approximately half of all the GABAergic neurons in the MTN were double-labeled. Therefore, GABAergic neurons comprise a significant component of the MTN-NOT/DTN projection which most likely inhibits the pretectal pathway mediating horizontal optokinetic nystagmus.
Assuntos
Neurônios Eferentes/fisiologia , Estilbamidinas , Colículos Superiores/anatomia & histologia , Vias Visuais/anatomia & histologia , Ácido gama-Aminobutírico/fisiologia , Animais , Corantes Fluorescentes , Imuno-Histoquímica , Microscopia de Fluorescência , Ratos , Colículos Superiores/fisiologia , Vias Visuais/fisiologiaRESUMO
Large numbers of neurons were retrogradely labeled in both the dorsal and ventral medial terminal nucleous (MTN) after fluoro-gold injections into the rat pretectal nucleus of the optic tract/dorsal terminal nucleus (NOT/DTN). Fluorescence immunocytochemistry for GABA in the same brains revealed GABA-positive neurons distributed mainly in the dorsal MTN. Approximately half of all the GABAergic neurons in the MTN were double-labeled. Therefore, GABAergic neurons comprise a significant component of the MTN-NOT-DTN projection which most likely inhibits the pretectal pathway mediating horizontal optokinetic nystagmus