Variety Of Morphological Techniques Research Articles

Nuclei and tracts in the thalamus of crocodiles.

The thalamus is one of the most important divisions of the forebrain because it serves as the major hub for transmission of information between the brainstem and telencephalon. While many studies have investigated the thalamus in mammals, comparable analyses in reptiles are incomplete. To fill this gap in knowledge, the thalamus was investigated in crocodiles using a variety of morphological techniques. The thalamus consists of two parts: a dorsal and a ventral division. The dorsal thalamus was defined by its projections to the telencephalon, whereas the ventral thalamus lacked this circuit. The complement of nuclei in each part of the thalamus was identified and characterized. Alar and basal components of both the dorsal and ventral thalamus were distinguished. Although some alar-derived nuclei in the dorsal thalamus shared certain features, no grouping could account for all of the known nuclei. However, immunohistochemical observations suggested a subdivision of alar-derived ventral thalamic nuclei. In view of this, a different approach to the organization of the dorsal thalamus should be considered. Development of the dorsal thalamus is suggested to be one way to provide a fresh perspective on its organization.

Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Mikrogefäßdarstellung

Vessel systems and the microvascular unit may be studied by a variety of morphological techniques which enable improved structure-function analyses. Two-dimensional light and electron microscopic sectioning techniques with and without specific markers are complemented by 3D vascularisation and perfusion study techniques. Static ex vivo modalities still prevail, however, the future will be dominated by intravital high-resolution techniques.