Vol 68, No 2 (2009)
Original article
Published online: 2009-02-25
A morphometric comparative study of the lateral geniculate body in selected placental mammals: the common shrew, the bank vole, the rabbit, and the fox
Folia Morphol 2009;68(2):70-78.
Abstract
The lateral geniculate body (LGN) was morphometrically examined and compared
in representatives of four mammalian orders (Insectivora, Rodentia, Lagomorpha,
and Carnivora). In each studied species, the lateral geniculate body
was divided into two distinct parts: the dorsal nucleus (LGNd) and the ventral
nucleus (LGNv). The lateral geniculate body of the common shrew and the
bank vole are very similar in appearance and nuclear pattern. The dorsal and
ventral nuclei of these two species also have the most similar statistical characteristics.
The lateral geniculate body of the fox has the most complicated morphology
and multilayered structure. A significant disproportion was observed
between the sizes of both geniculate nuclei in the fox, where the dorsal nucleus
definitely surpassed the ventral nucleus in terms of volume. With the exception
of the fox, the neuronal density of the LGN nuclei was negatively correlated
with the volumes of the LGN. The mean neuronal size of the LGNd and
LGNv, which was the resultant of the length, width, area, and circumference
of the soma, grew correlatively to the volumes of these nuclei. In all examined
species, somas of the LGNd neurons are distinctly larger and have more similar
shapes than the LGNv perikarya. In addition, the numerical density of neurons
in the ventral nucleus is significantly higher than in the dorsal nucleus. All these
morphometric parameters clearly differentiate the LGNd from the LGNv.
Keywords: lateral geniculate bodymorphometric analysis
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