Abstract
Following an electron microscopic examination of 437 degenerating terminals of callosally projecting axons in layer II/III at the 17/18a border, it has been found that some of these terminals form symmetric synapses with dendritic shafts (1.83%), pyramidal cell bodies (1.37%) and dendritic spines (0.46%). The remainder of the axon terminals (96.33%) form asymmetric synapses, mainly with dendritic spines although a few form synapses with dendrites. These results suggest that in the rat visual cortex the corpus callosum is a source of both inhibitory and excitatory input to the contralateral hemisphere.
Publication types
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Afferent Pathways / anatomy & histology*
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Afferent Pathways / ultrastructure
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Animals
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Axons / ultrastructure
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Corpus Callosum / anatomy & histology*
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Corpus Callosum / ultrastructure
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Dendrites / ultrastructure
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Male
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Microscopy, Electron
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Nerve Degeneration
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Neurons / cytology*
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Neurons / ultrastructure
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Pyramidal Tracts / anatomy & histology*
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Pyramidal Tracts / ultrastructure
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Rats
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Rats, Inbred Strains
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Synapses / ultrastructure*
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Thalamus / anatomy & histology
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Thalamus / ultrastructure
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Visual Cortex / anatomy & histology*
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Visual Cortex / ultrastructure