Late generated neurons in the medial cortex of adult lizards send axons that reach the Timm-reactive zones

Abstract

Double labelling autoradiography-HRP experiments were performed to examine whether late generated neurons in the medial cortex of lizards develop and send axons to their targets. One to two months after receiving a series of tritiated thymidine ([3H]T) injections to label recently generated neurons, lizards (Podarcis hispanica) were subjected to a HRP labelling experiment. HRP was stereotaxically injected into the projection areas of the medial cerebral cortex, i.e. the cortical Timm-reactive areas. Following a short survival time, lizards were sacrificed and their brains processed first for HRP histochemical detection and then for autoradiography. Many cell somata in the cell layer of the medial cortex were retrogradely labelled. A few of the HRP labelled somata also displayed autoradiographic silver granules labelling their nuclei. This indicates that their time of origin had coincided with the tritiated thymidine pulse. These doubly labelled somata are evidence that newly formed neurons grow axons that reach the areas injected with HRP.