[Classification of neurons in the visual cortex of the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus). A combined Golgi-Nissl study using deimpregnation technics].

The aim of the investigation is the identification of neuronal types in the visual cortex of the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) in Nissl preparations. In two rapid Golgi series (modified by Fairén et al. 1977) and nine Golgi-Kopsch series eleven neuronal types could be classified: 1. Neurons with long axonal main stems: Pyramidal cells (layers II-VI), pyramid-like cells (layers I, VI), spiny stellate cells (layer IV). 2. Neurons with locally distributed axons: large and small aspiny cells (layers II-VI), neuroglioform cells (layers I-VI), large sparsely spiny cells with ascending axons (Martinotti cells) (layers III-VI), small sparsely spiny cells with variable axons (layer IV), bipolar cells (layers II-VI), chandelier cells (layers II, III), double bouquet cells (layers II, III), and 3. a horizontal cell in layer I without an impregnated axon. To identify Nissl stained somata, Golgi impregnated neurons were deimpregnated. Now cytoplasmic and nuclear features can be compared. In order to get a survey about the variability of the somal features, we have deimpregnated 245 neurons on the whole using either gold chloride (Fairén et al. 1977) combined with the rapid Golgi method, modified by Fairén et al. (1977), or a diluted solution of ammonia (Braak and Braak 1982) combined with the Golgi-Kopsch method, nonembedded, in glycerol stored material and in celloidin embedded sections, resp. After deimpregnation several neuronal classes could be distinguished considering at first the width of the cytoplasm and the localization of the nucleus. There are Nissl stained somata with corresponding features: 1. Pyramidal cells, pyramid-like cells, and spiny stellate cells of the layer IV with relatively broad cytoplasm and bright, centrally localized nuclei. 2. Large aspiny cells which vary in somal sizes and shapes with very broad cytoplasm and bright, centrally or excentrally localized nuclei. 3. Small aspiny cells, some of the neuroglioform cells, and small sparsely spiny cells of layer IV have more or less broad cytoplasm but in the most cases excentrally localized nuclei. 4. The remaining neuroglioform cells, bipolar cells, and the horizontal cell of layer I are particularly poor in cytoplasm. The somata of these neuronal types are small, those of the bipolar cells are vertically orientated. 5. Like the bipolar cells large sparsely spiny cells with ascending axons Martinotti cells), chandelier cells, and double bouquet cells are also polarized neurons, but larger and not always vertically oriented.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)