MORPHOLOGY OF PRE-OCULAR AND VESTIBULAR CELLS

总体目标是使用计算机辅助重建 在警觉的动物中对神经元进行生理学研究并注射 用辣根过氧化物酶(HRP)，了解神经基础 用于眼球运动和前庭的产生和控制 条件反射。警觉的松鼠猴子将被用于范例 与凝视和/或相关的生理学识别神经元 前庭刺激。一旦确定，单个神经元将被 轴突内注射HRP以显示体树突状细胞和 轴突形态。房室内记录和注射HRP 麻醉、麻痹的动物将被用来补充 适当时进行结构-功能研究。神经元将会是 在光学显微镜的帮助下进行三维重建 计算机化系统。单根单根的形态参数 细胞已经进入数字存储器，我们将量化 体细胞与树突的形态相互关系 和中枢神经元的轴突树，以确定是否有 井然有序的关系。我们还将确定两国的关系 突触前神经元至树突的轴突终支 以推断突触后细胞的连接并建立 信息所需的连续神经元顺序 使前庭和眼球运动系统 以履行其不同的职能。脑干是一种理想的 进行这些研究的神经底物，因为 它的许多功能具有刻板印象和类似机器的性质。 这些研究是正在进行的项目的自然延伸 跨越近二十年的实验室。

The overall objective is to use computer assisted reconstruction of neurons physiologically studied in alert animals and injected with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), to understand the neural basis for the generation and control of eye movements and vestibular reflexes. Alert squirrel monkeys will be employed in paradigms to physiologically identify neurons in relation to gaze and/or vestibular stimulation. Once identified, individual neurons will be injected with HRP intraaxonally to visualize somadendritic and axonal morphology. Intrasomatic recording and HRP injection in anesthetized, paralyzed animals will be used to supplement structure-function studies when appropriate. Neurons will be reconstructed using light microscopy aided by a three dimensional computerized system. Once morphological parameters of single cells have been entered into digital memory, we will quantitate the morphological interrelationships of the somata and dendritic and axonal trees of central neurons to ascertain if there are any orderly relationships. We will also determine the relationship of axonal terminal arbors of presynaptic neurons to dendritic arbors of post synaptic cells to infer connectivity and establish sequential neuronal order necessary for the information processing which enables the vestibular and oculomotor systems to perform their diverse functions. The brainstem is an ideal neural substrate in which to perform these studies because of the stereotyped and machine-like nature of many of its functions. These studies are a natural extension of ongoing projects in this laboratory that span nearly twenty years.