Lieselotte Cnops, Annemie Cuyvers, Tjing-Tjing Hu and Lutgarde Arckens

Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.

Abstract

We here report on the immunolocalization of Dynamin I (Dyn I) in neurons of the visual system of the cat. The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) complex displayed abundant Dyn I immunoreactivity in typical relay cells of the X-, Y- and W-pathway. The superficial and deep layers of the superior colliculus were also populated by Dyn I-immunoreactive projection neurons of the W- and Y-cell system. In primary visual areas 17 and 18, many densely packed layer VI neurons were intensely stained. A clear Dyn I signal was also demonstrated in pyramidal neurons of supragranular layers II and III, while layer IV displayed low Dyn I immunoreactivity. Additionally, area 18 displayed larger border pyramidal neurons in layer III compared to area 17. Generally, Dyn I was localized to the cell body and dendrites of neurons, to the neuropil and sometimes also to axon bundles. Typically, the Dyn I signal was not always uniformly distributed within the somatodendritic compartment. Based on its widespread distribution mainly in projection neurons Dyn I may play a fundamental role in mature neurons of different cortical and subcortical structures of the adult mammalian brain.