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Notizen: Summary The neocortex of the cat undergoes a series of fundamental transformations of its fibrillar-neuronal organization during the course of early prenatal cortical ontogenesis. Some of these transformations assume structural chracteristics and neuronal features which resemble those of phylogenetically older cortical organizations. Following the arrival of corticipetal fibers at the marginal zone of the cerebral vesicle a very primitive neocortical organization, the primordial plexiform layer develops. It is characterized by the external location of the white matter with both corticipetal and a few corticofugal fibers and a few immature neurons sandwiched between the fibers. The primitive plexiform layer is present in the cat from the 20th to the 25th day of gestation. The external (superficial) location of the white matter of the primordial plexiform layer of the cat neocortex is reminiscent of the amphibian cortical organization. It also resembles other primitive structures (spinal cord) of the central nervous system. In view of its short duration and because of the immaturity of its fibrillar-neuronal elements, the primordial plexiform layer is considered to be a transient neocortical organization possibly without functional activity in the cat. The appearance of the cortical plate (25th day of gestation) causes the subdivision of the primordial plexiform layer into an outer and an inner zone. The outer zone becomes layer I and the inner zone layer VI of the neocortex. Both of these layers remain as such throughout cortical development. From the 25th to the 45th day of gestation the fibrillarneuronal structure of layers I and VI develop while the cortical plate grows, passively, by the progressive addition of new cells. The progressive fibrillar-neuronal organization of layers I and VI and the development of structural and functional interactions between them constitutes the primordial neocortical organization of the cerebral cortex of the cat. It is characterized by a superficial (layer I) and a deep (layer VI) plexiform layer composed predominantly of collaterals from the corticipetal fibers arriving at the developing cortex and by three basic types of neurons. The horizontal neurons of layer I with descending axons terminating in layer VI, and the Martinotti neurons of layer VI with ascending axons terminating in layer I, are associative neurons. The large stellate neurons of layer VI are projective neurons. The axons of these cells before entering the white matter send ascending recurrent collaterals to layer I. The fibrillar-neuronal organization of the neocortex during this gestational period (primordial neocortical organization) resembles the organization of the reptilian neocortex. It is postulated that the primordial neocortical organization of the cat is functionally active during this gestational period. The arrival of new types of afferent fibers at the lower region of the cortical plate (45th day of gestation) causes the maturation of the pyramidal neurons of this region of the neocortex. These neurons are recognized at this age as the pyramidal neurons of layer V of the neocortex of the cat. The appearance of these afferent fibers and the maturation of the pyramidal neurons of layer V marks the transformation of the neocortex from its primitive reptilian structure into a distinctly mammalian organization. It is postulated that the cortical plate (pyramidal plate) is a recent addition in neocortical phylogeny representing a mammalian transformation. An analogy seems to exists among the pyramid-like neurons of the amphibian cortex, the pyramid-like neurons of the reptilian neocortex and the pyramid-like neurons (stellate) of layer VI of the mammalian neocortex. This analogy differs from the classical one postulated by Cajal which includes the pyramidal neurons of the mammalian neocortex, which are here considered as recent additions to neocortical phylogeny and hence as distinct mammalian neurons.

Notizen: Summary The individual prenatal ontogenetic history of the horizontal neurons (the Cajal-Retzius cells) of layer I, the Martinotti neurons of layer VI, the pyramid-like neurons (the polymorphous or spindle cells) of layer VI, and the pyramidal neurons of layer V of the cat neocortex have been investigated. These neurons undergo, in the course of prenatal ontogenesis, a series of significant changes in their dendritic and axonic arborizations resulting in their complete structural transformation. Some of these changes have led to the appearance of new types of neurons quite different from the original in their morphological features as wells as in the territory of distribution of their axons. The horizontal neurons of layer I (superficial plexiform layer) come to assume the morphological characteristics of Cajal-Retzius cells late in prenatal ontogenesis. Also, the pyramid-like neurons of layer VI (deep plexiform layer) acquire the features of polymorphous (spindle) neurons of layer VI late in prenatal neocortical ontogenesis. Certainly, the resulting functional transformations that these neuronal changes cause are important and of great significance in the understanding of the organization of the mammalian neocortex. In the course of prenatal ontogenesis the following occur: the horizontal neurons of layer I lose their axonic connections with layer VI and acquire an increasing relevance in the structural organization of layer I; the pyramid-like neurons of layer VI lose their axonic and dendritic connections with layer I and undergo pronounced regressive changes in their dendritic and axonic arborizations; and the Martinotti neurons lose their axonic connections with layer I and also undergo regressive changes in their dendritic arborizations. In addition, the structural-functional interrelationships among these three neurons, which are quite prominent during early neocortical ontogenesis, fade away in the course of late prenatal ontogenesis and possibly disappear altogether by the time of birth in the cat. These three neurons are the basic neuronal elements of the early, precallosal organization (the primordial neocortical organization) of the mammalian neocortex. Phylogenetically, these three types of neurons are very old ones and have been described in the cerebral cortices of amphibians and reptiles. Therefore, it is not surprising that the early, precallosal organization of the mammalian neocortex should resemble the structural organization of the reptilian (general cortex) neocortex. It is postulated in this communication that these neuronal transformations are the result of a restructuring in the organization of the mammalian neocortex which follows the arrival of the callosal fibers and of a new type of corticipetal fibers at the pyramidal plate. this restructuring represents a transformation of the fibrillary-neuronal structure of the mammalian neocortex from its early, precallosal (reptilian) organization into a more distinctly mammalian one. The mammalian neocortical organization is characterized by the sequential maturation of several strata of true pyramidal neuronal systems. In the course of prenatal ontogenesis the fibrillar and neuronal elements of the early, precallosal neocortical organization lose progressively their relevance in the structural organization of the mammalian neocortex while the new pyramidal neuronal systems acquire an increasing relevance in it.

Notizen: In the testes of man and some other mammals a structure is formed during reproductive age, designated a “receptacle”. This structure which is not present during infancy represents the first communication of the seminiferous tubules to an extragonadal organ the rete “organ,” the receptacles received the mature spermatozoa which later are transported to the mesonephric excretory duct through the rete tubules. The receptacles are the distal end of the rete tubules and are considered as coelomic funnels.The epithelium of the receptacles, the tubuli recti and rete tubules is identical in infantile and mature testes and of a different type than the epithelium of the seminiferous tubules.The receptacle consists of a distal dilatation of the tubuli recti in which the seminiferous tubule invaginates following the ruptures of their walls. Identical receptacles are present in man, horse (Equus caballus), armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus mexicanus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), dog (Canis familiaris), cat (Felix domesticus), hamster (mesocricetus auratus) and woodhuck (Marmota monax). In the mule (sterile offspring of a mare and a jackass) the receptacles lack communications.The presence of mature spermatozoa is believed to be the proper stimulus for the formation of the receptacles which established the communications between the seminiferous tubules and the rete tubules.The receptacles, tubuli recti and rete testis are part of an organ which accomplished the connection of the gonad to its mesonephric excretory system.

Notizen: Thalidomide injury to an implanted armadillo blastocyst is presented. This finding confirms the specific damage by thalidomide to the embryoblastic cells. The lack of damage to the trophoblast at this stage permits a normal implantation of the blastocyst in the uterine mucosa.