Development of the diencephalon in the rat. V. Thymidine-radiographic observations on internuclear and intranuclear gradients in the thalamus.

Groups of pregnant rats were injected with two successive daily doses of 3H-thymidine from gestational days 13 and 14 (E13 + 14) until the day before birth (E21 + 22). Internuclear and intranuclear cytogenetic gradients were examined in radiograms of the thalamus sectioned in the coronal, sagittal and horizontal planes. There was a precise and segregated lateral-to-medial gradient between and within the habenular nuclei. In the ventral thalamus the reticular nucleus had a lateral-to-medial gradient, the subthalamic nucleus a laterodorsal-to-medioventral gradient. There was a caudal-to-rostral gradient between the medial geniculate and dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei, and between the pars posterior and pars anterior of the lateral nucleus. A clear intranuclear gradient could not be detected in the sensory relay nuclei with the exception of the medial geniculate nucleus. A lateral-to-medial internuclear gradient was seen between the relay nuclei and the intralaminar nuclei, and between the latter and some of the midline nuclei. On the basis of a consideration of the time of origin and time span of production of neurons of various thalamic nuclei, and taking into account some of the recognizable internuclear and intranuclear gradients, the thalamus was divided into five principal cytogenetic components; the epithelamus, the ventral thalamus, the dorsal thalamus, the medial thalamus, and the posterior thalamus. The epithalamic nuclei form over a protracted period resembling the nuclei of the hypothalamus. The nuclei of the ventral thalamus are generated early and over a relatively long period. The dorsal thalamus consists of the relay nuclei and the intralaminar nuclei; they form rapidly and ahead of the medial thalamus. The medial thalamus was subdivided into the earlier-forming anteromedial nuclei and the latest-forming midline nuclei. The posterior thalamus was not examined in detail.