caa a22 4500 469083913 CHVBK 20180323132959.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170328e19920901xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/BF00353903 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/BF00353903 Cytoarchitectural organization of the electromotor system in the electric catfish ( Malapterurus electricus ) [Elektronische Daten] [Thomas Schikorski, Norbert Braun, Herbert Zimmermann] Summary: The cytoarchitectural organization of the electromotor system of the electric catfish (Malapterurus electricus) was investigated in order to obtain insight into the neuronal reorganization accompanying the functional transition of a presumptive previous motor system to an electromotor system eliciting electric organ discharge. The electric catfish possesses two giant electromotoneurons situated within the rostral spinal cord. Intracellular dye injections have revealed the enormous extension of the dendritic tree of electromotoneurons. About 50 primary dendrites span the entire lateral funicle and intermediate grey matter, and reveal an extensive contralateral projection. The giant dendritic tree (1.2 mm in rostrocaudal direction) presumably receives inputs from all ascending and descending pathways of the spinal cord. Electromotoneurons and motoneurons receive the same type of fibre inputs, and electromotoneurons and interneurons are connected through common presynaptic elements. The innervation pattern of the electromotoneurons and spinal motoneurons is similar. Synaptic terminals with round synaptic vesicles often reveal chemical contacts and gap junctions. Furthermore, dendrites of the two electromotoneurons form juxtapositions (ephapses) with each other and also with spinal interneurons. Our results suggest that the two electromotoneurons are homologous to median (primary) spinal motoneurons and are the central structures of the electromotor system within the central nervous system of the electric catfish. A high capability of information processing can be attributed to the giant dendritic trees from functional considerations. This presumably enables the electromotoneurons to elicit an electric organ discharge in different behavioural contexts with a minimum of functional reorganization. Springer-Verlag, 1992 Cytoarchitecture nationallicence Dendritic organization nationallicence Motoneurons nationallicence Motor control nationallicence Spinal cord nationallicence Electric fish, Malapterurus electricus (Teleostei) nationallicence Schikorski Thomas Zoologisches Institut der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Siesmayerstrasse 70, Postfach 111932, W-6000, Frankfurt am Main 11, Federal Republic of Germany aut Braun Norbert Zoologisches Institut der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Siesmayerstrasse 70, Postfach 111932, W-6000, Frankfurt am Main 11, Federal Republic of Germany aut Zimmermann Herbert Zoologisches Institut der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Siesmayerstrasse 70, Postfach 111932, W-6000, Frankfurt am Main 11, Federal Republic of Germany aut Cell and Tissue Research Springer-Verlag 269/3(1992-09-01), 481-493 0302-766X 269:3<481 1992 269 441 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353903 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353903 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Schikorski Thomas Zoologisches Institut der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Siesmayerstrasse 70, Postfach 111932, W-6000, Frankfurt am Main 11, Federal Republic of Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Braun Norbert Zoologisches Institut der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Siesmayerstrasse 70, Postfach 111932, W-6000, Frankfurt am Main 11, Federal Republic of Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Zimmermann Herbert Zoologisches Institut der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Siesmayerstrasse 70, Postfach 111932, W-6000, Frankfurt am Main 11, Federal Republic of Germany aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Cell and Tissue Research Springer-Verlag 269/3(1992-09-01), 481-493 0302-766X 269:3<481 1992 269 441 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer