Abstract
Grafts of the rat fetal neocortex at the 17–18th day of gestation were placed in the cavity made by aspiration in the primary visual or somatosensory cortex of adult rats. Findings from electrophysiological research performed 3–3.5 months after this transplant showed that neurons of this transplant responded to sensory stimulation specific to the cortical regions replaced by the transplant in 50% of animals. This response was evoked by stimulating local receptive fields displaying a topical organization pattern in a proportion of the animals. Neuronal response in the transplant indicated that the usual field of vision previously existing on the replaced portions of visual cortex had been restored. Electrical stimulation applied locally to a number of brain structures showed that the transplants received afferent inputs from the thalamic nucleus normally projecting to the cortical region replaced by the graft, as well as from homotopic sites on the contralateral cortex. Latencies and time course of neuronal response to stimulating these regions of the host brain resemble those observed in the normal. Afferent inputs from the host brain to cortical transplants thus emulate normal cortical input. Possible mechanisms underlying reinnervation of the grafts are discussed.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.