Fernandez E, Eldred W D, Ammermüller J, Block A, von Bloh W, Kolb H
Institute of Neurosciences, University of Alicante, Spain.
J Comp Neurol. 1994 Sep 15;347(3):397-408. doi: 10.1002/cne.903470306.
In the present study we have evaluated the complexity and scaling properties of the morphology of retinal neurons using fractal dimension as a quantitative parameter. We examined a large number of cells from Pseudemys scripta and Mauremys caspica turtles that had been labeled using Golgi-impregnation techniques, intracellular injection of Lucifer Yellow followed by photooxidation, intracellular injection of rhodamine conjugated horseradish peroxidase, or intracellular injection of Lucifer Yellow or horseradish peroxidase alone. The fractal dimensions of two-dimensional projections of the cells were calculated using a box counting method. Discriminant analysis revealed fractal dimension to be a significant classification parameter among several other parameters typically used for placing turtle retinal neurons in different cell classes. The fractal dimension of amacrine cells was significantly correlated with dendritic field diameters, while the fractal dimensions of ganglion cells did not vary with dendritic field span. There were no significant differences between the same cell types in two different turtle species, or between the same types of neurons in the same species after labeling with different techniques. The application of fractal dimension, as a quantitative measure of complexity and scaling properties and as a classification criterion of neuronal types, appears to be useful and may have wide applicability to other parts of the central nervous system.
在本研究中，我们使用分形维数作为定量参数，评估了视网膜神经元形态的复杂性和标度性质。我们检查了大量来自伪彩龟和里海泽龟的细胞，这些细胞通过高尔基浸染技术、荧光黄细胞内注射后光氧化、罗丹明偶联辣根过氧化物酶细胞内注射或仅荧光黄或辣根过氧化物酶细胞内注射进行标记。使用盒计数法计算细胞二维投影的分形维数。判别分析表明，分形维数是将龟视网膜神经元分为不同细胞类别的几个常用参数中的一个重要分类参数。无长突细胞的分形维数与树突野直径显著相关，而神经节细胞的分形维数不随树突野跨度变化。两种不同龟种的相同细胞类型之间，或同一物种中用不同技术标记的相同类型神经元之间，均无显著差异。分形维数作为复杂性和标度性质的定量测量以及神经元类型的分类标准，其应用似乎是有用的，并且可能广泛适用于中枢神经系统的其他部分。
