Perineuronal nets and subtypes of GABAergic cells differentiate auditory and multisensory nuclei in the intercollicular area of the midbrain.
Creator
Beebe Nichole L; Noftz William A; Schofield Brett R
Publisher
The Journal of comparative neurology
Date
2020
2020-04-17
Description
The intercollicular region, which lies between the inferior and superior colliculi in the midbrain, contains neurons that respond to auditory, visual, and somatosensory stimuli. Golgi studies have been used to parse this region into three distinct nuclei: the intercollicular tegmentum (ICt), the rostral pole of the inferior colliculus (ICrp), and the nucleus of the brachium of the IC (NBIC). Few reports have focused on these nuclei, especially the ICt and the ICrp, possibly due to lack of a marker that distinguishes these areas and is compatible with modern methods. Here, we found that staining for GABAergic cells and perineuronal nets differentiates these intercollicular nuclei in guinea pigs. Further, we found that the proportions of four subtypes of GABAergic cells differentiate intercollicular nuclei from each other and from adjacent inferior collicular subdivisions. Our results support earlier studies that suggest distinct morphology and functions for intercollicular nuclei, and provide staining methods that differentiate intercollicular nuclei and are compatible with most modern techniques. We hope that this will help future studies to further characterize the intercollicular region.
Subject
ab_10807945; ab_141607; ab_2278725; ab_2336066; ab_2336132; ab_2336874; ab_2336875; ab_2336881; ab_2534012; ab_2535710; ab_2665454; ab_2735091; ascending projections; descending projections; dorsal column nuclei; efferent connections; external nucleus; extracellular-matrix; Guinea pigs; inferior colliculus; intercollicular tegmentum; lateral lemniscus; medial geniculate-body; nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus; nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus; rostral pole of the inferior colliculus; rrid; RRID: AB_10807945; RRID: AB_141607; RRID: AB_2278725; RRID: AB_2336066; RRID: AB_2336132; RRID: AB_2336874; RRID: AB_2336875; RRID: AB_2336881; RRID: AB_2534012; RRID: AB_2535710; RRID: AB_2665454; RRID: AB_2735091; RRID: SCR_001775; scr_001775; superior colliculus; VGLUT2; VGLUT2