Corticopontine terminal fibres form small scale clusters and large scale lamellae in the cat

Neuroreport. 1997 May 6;8(7):1651-5. doi: 10.1097/00001756-199705060-00019.

Abstract

We investigated whether terminal fibres in the pontine nuclei are arranged in a lamellar pattern like that demonstrated earlier for pontocerebellar neurones. Following tracer injections in visual and parietal cortices and subsequent computer-based 3-D analysis, we found that labelled corticopontine terminal fibres form numerous sharply delimited aggregates of variable shape. Several of the aggregates are cylindroids (diameter 200-300 microns, length 1-3 mm). The aggregates are confined to a lamellar subspace, the position of which depends on the anteroposterior location of the cortical injections. These findings suggest that the cerebroponto-cerebellar system may be organized according to fairly simple, topographical rules. We discuss the implications of our results in relation to the development of corticopontine topographical organization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cats / anatomy & histology*
  • Cerebellum / anatomy & histology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology*
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Nerve Fibers / ultrastructure*
  • Pons / anatomy & histology*