The Termination of Centrifugal Fibres in the Glomerular Layer of the Olfactory Bulb

1972 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 621-635
Author(s):  
A. J. PINCHING ◽  
T. P. S. POWELL

The termination of the centrifugal fibres running in the lateral olfactory tract to the glomerular layer of the rat olfactory bulb has been determined with the electron microscope; this has been done with material perfused at various times after section of the lateral olfactory tract, as well as after a combination of this lesion with the long-term degeneration of olfactory nerves. The axon terminals are sparse at the glomerular level, but undergo typical degenerative changes; they are distributed solely in the periglomerular region and intermediate zone. The most common post-synaptic profiles are the processes of periglomerular cells, but a few centrifugal fibres terminate on short-axon, tufted and mitral cell dendrites. Evidence is produced to suggest that the anterior olfactory nucleus does not project as far as the glomerular layer. The findings are discussed in relation to previous studies with normal material and silver degeneration methods on similar experimental material; the functional implications of the centrifugal pathways in the bulb are briefly discussed.

1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 631-651
Author(s):  
J. L. PRICE ◽  
T. P. S. POWELL

A description is given of the mitral and short axon cells of the olfactory bulb of the rat from Golgi material examined with the light microscope and from material examined with the electron microscope. The mitral cells are large neurons with primary and secondary dendrites which both extend into the overlying external plexiform layer, although only the primary dendrite enters the glomerular formations. No predominant antero-posterior orientation of the secondary dendrites has been found. Within the glomeruli the mitral cell dendrites are in synaptic contact with the olfactory nerves and also with the periglomerular cells, but elsewhere the only synapses on the mitral cells are the ‘reciprocal synapses’ with the granule cells. Synaptic-type vesicles are found in all parts of the mitral cells, including the axon initial segments; they appear to be especially concentrated in the distal portions of the dendrites. Several types of short axon cells have been found in the granule cell layer in Golgi-impregnated material. Their cell bodies can also be distinguished with the electron microscope, and from previous work it is probable that the axons of at least some of these cells form flattened-vesicle symmetrical synapses upon the granule cells.


1972 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 585-619
Author(s):  
A. J. PINCHING ◽  
T. P. S. POWELL

An ultrastructural study of degeneration in axon terminals of the glomerular layer of the rat olfactory bulb is described, concentrating particularly on the sequence of degeneration in the olfactory nerve terminals and the long-term events in the degeneration process in several terminal types. Olfactory nerve terminal degeneration is divided into 5 stages, representing parts of the sequential changes taking place in the terminal after fibre section. The main features in the sequence are as follows: I. Swelling of the terminal and its vesicles. II. Initial shrinkage of the terminal, while vesicles remain swollen and some are distorted. III. Further shrinkage and darkening of the terminal, distortion of many of the vesicles and some mitochondrial swelling. IV. Extreme shrinkage of the terminal and loss of cytoplasmic detail; synaptic contact still intact or partially separated. V. Disappearance of the presynaptic terminal and persistence of the post-synaptic thickening. The validity of the observation of the persistence of post-synaptic membrane thickenings is considered and evidence adduced in its favour, both qualitative and quantitative. Characteristics of the newly apposed profiles are described, including cisternae and alveolate vesicles; the extracellular material of the synaptic cleft is considered in the light of its association with persisting thickenings. The relevance of these associated Structures is discussed in terms of function and development. Spontaneous degeneration of olfactory nerves and the degeneration of the vomeronasal nerves in the accessory olfactory bulb are described, as well as Stage V in the degeneration of other terminal types of the glomeruli, following various lesions; persistence of post-synaptic thickenings after the degeneration of terminals showing symmetrical membrane thickenings is included. Observations on the persistence of post-synaptic thickenings in various sites in the central and peripheral nervous systems are reviewed in the context of the present study; the problems arising out of the morphological identification of apposition or reinnervations are discussed.


1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-187
Author(s):  
J. L. PRICE ◽  
T. P. S. POWELL

An experimental investigation has been made of the site and mode of termination of the 3 groups of afferent fibres to the olfactory bulb which come from more caudal parts of the cerebral hemisphere. Lesions have been placed in the relevant parts of the brain of the rat and the resulting degeneration of axon terminals in the olfactory bulb studied with the electron microscope. All 3 groups of these extrinsic afferent fibres end in asymmetrical synapses upon the granule cells, and they have a differential termination upon its various processes. The possibility that these fibres also end upon other cells in the bulb (particularly the short-axon and periglomerular cells) cannot be excluded. The centrifugal fibres end upon gemmules in the deep half of the external plexiform layer only; no degenerating terminals were found in relation to the glomeruli although degenerating centrifugal axons are present here. The fibres of the anterior commissure terminate upon spines and varicosities of the deep dendrites and upon somatic spines of the granule cells. After lesions of the anterior olfactory nucleus, degenerating terminals were found in the ipsilateral olfactory bulb, which could not be ascribed to the centrifugal fibres or to the fibres of the anterior commissure, as they ended upon the spines of peripheral processes in the granule cell layer, and upon gemmules in the superficial as well as in the deep half of the external plexiform layer. It is proposed that these terminals are those of the axon collaterals from the ipsilateral anterior olfactory nucleus. The axons which form symmetrical synapses, and many which form asymmetrical synapses, do not degenerate even after a lesion immediately behind the olfactory bulb, and are therefore intrinsic to the bulb. It is suggested that the axons which are associated with symmetrical synapses are those of the short-axon cells, and the asymmetrical synapses are formed by the axon collaterals of the mitral and tufted cells.


1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-155
Author(s):  
J. L. PRICE ◽  
T. P. S POWELL

The synapses related to the granule cells of the olfactory bulb of rat brain have been studied in aldehyde-fixed material. The synapses can be divided into three classes: (1) those which have asymmetrical synaptic membrane thickenings and spheroidal synaptic vesicles; (2) those with symmetrical synaptic thickenings and flattened vesicles; and (3) the reciprocal synapses, one half of which (from mitral to granule cell) has an asymmetrical synaptic thickening associated with spheroidal vesicles, while the other half (from granule to mitral cell) has a symmetrical synaptic thickening and flattened vesicles. Qualitative observations, supported by preliminary quantitative measurements, suggest that it may be possible to divide both the spheroidal and flattened-vesicle types into two further varieties, on the basis of size, The smaller variety of spheroidal vesicles is found in most axon terminals, while the larger spheroidal vesicles are present in mitral cell dendrites and in some of the axon terminals. The flattened vesicles associated with symmetrical synapses which are oriented on to the granule cells are smaller than the spheroidal vesicles, but the flattened vesicles in the spines and gemmules of the granule cells are the same size or larger than the spheroidal vesicles. The division of flattened vesicles into two sizes is supported by statistical analysis of measurements of these vesicles, but because of difficulty in identifying the axon terminals with asymmetrical synapses there is no quantitative evidence for such a division of spheroidal vesicles. The asymmetrical synapses are found predominantly on spines, gemmules, and dendritic varicosities, although they are occasionally present on shafts of dendrites and on the cell somata. The symmetrical synapses are almost completely restricted to the shafts of the peripheral processes and the deep dendrites, and to the cell somata; only very rarely are synapses of this type found on spines, and then always in conjunction with an asymmetrical synapse.


1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiromasa Kitazawa ◽  
Takeshi Yagi ◽  
Tsuyoshi Miyakawa ◽  
Hiroaki Niki ◽  
Nobufumi Kawai

Kitazawa, Hiromasa, Takeshi Yagi, Tsuyoshi Miyakawa, Hiroaki Niki, and Nobufumi Kawai. Abnormal synaptic transmission in the olfactory bulb of Fyn-kinase–deficient mice. J. Neurophysiol. 79: 137–142, 1998. We studied synaptic transmission in the granule cells in the olfactory bulb of the homozygous Fyn (a nonreceptor type tyrosine kinase)-deficient ( fyn z/ fyn z) and heterozygous Fyn-deficient (+/ fyn z) mice by using slice preparations from the olfactory bulb. Stimulation to the lateral olfactory tract and/or centrifugal fibers to the olfactory bulb evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in the granule cells. In +/ fyn z mice, fEPSPs were augmented by bicuculline, a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) antagonist and picrotoxin, whereas fEPSPs in fyn z/ fyn z mice were much less sensitive to bicuculline and picrotoxin. Application of d-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid had no effect but 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione produced almost complete block of fEPSPs in both +/ fyn z mice and fyn z/ fyn z mice. (1S, 3R)-1-aminocyclo-pentane-1.3-dicarboxylate, an agonist of metabotropic glutamate receptors caused a similar depression of fEPSPs in both +/ fyn z and fyn z/ fyn z mice. In +/ fyn z mice tetanic stimulation to the lateral olfactory tract and/or centrifugal fibers induced N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) of fEPSPs, whereas LTP was impaired in fyn z/ fyn z mice. Our results demonstrate altered functions of GABAA and NMDA receptors in the olfactory system of Fyn-deficient mice.


2005 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 276-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao-Ping Qin ◽  
Shu-Ming Ye ◽  
Ji-Zeng Du ◽  
Gong-Yu Shen

Abstract The distribution of calbindin, calretinin and parvalbumin during the development of the mouse main olfactory bulb (MOB) was studied using immunohistochemistry techniques. The results are as follows: (1) calbindin-immunoreactive profiles were mainly located in the glomerular layer, and few large calbindin-immunoreactive cells were found in the subependymal layer of postnatal day 10 (P1 0) to postnatal day 40 (P40) mice; (2) no calbindin was detected in the mitral cell layer at any stage; (3) calretinin-immunoreactive profiles were present in all layers of the main olfactory bulb at all stages, especially in the olfactory nerve layer, glomerular layer and granule cell layer; (4) parvalbumin-immunoreactive profiles were mainly located in the external plexiform layer (except for P10 mice); (5) weakly stained parvalbumin-immunoreactive profiles were present in the glomerular layer at all stages; and (6) no parvalbumin was detected in the mitral cell layer at any stage.


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