Postnatal development of layers in the cat’s lateral geniculate nucleus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33910/2687-1270-2025-6-2-161-170Keywords:
lateral geniculate nucleus, perigeniculate nucleus, postnatal development, cat, NeuN, SMI-32, calretinin, parvalbuminAbstract
This review synthesizes findings from an investigation into the postnatal development of layers of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd) and the perigeniculate nucleus (PGN) in the cat, focusing on five key stages: neonatal, precritical, critical (peak and decline), and adulthood. The study employed four neurochemical markers: the common neuronal protein (NeuN), Ca2+-binding protein parvalbumin (a marker of inhibitory interneurons), calretinin (a marker of koniocellular relay neurons in primates), and non-phosphorylated heavy neurofilaments (SMI-32, a marker of magnocellular/Y relay neurons in primates and cats). During the neonatal and precritical periods, several transient neuronal populations were identified that disappear during the critical period: (1) large interlaminar neurons in the LGNd expressing NeuN and parvalbumin; (2) large calretinin-expressing neurons in the Cp layers of the LGNd; (3) PGN neurons expressing calretinin. The study also found transient sublamination of the A-layers of the LGNd, organized by NeuN-immunonegative and NeuN-immunopositive neurons. The concurrent existence of these populations suggests a coupled functional role during the precritical period, which appears to be governed more by intrinsic factors than by visual experience.
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