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Fine Structure Of The Substantia Nigra Pars Lateralis In The Opossum, Terrence Paul Ma

Wayne State University Dissertations

The cytoarchitecture of the substantia nigra pars lateralis (SNl) of the opossum was examined by light and electron microscopic procedures. Nissl-stained, Golgi-impregnated, HRP-reacted and electron microscopic preparations were utilized in this study. SNl neurons were divided into three groups on the basis of cell size; small, medium-sized, and large neurons. Small cells had a nucleus with some clumped heterochromatin, a relatively organelle-free cytoplasm, and long, thin, sparcely branching dendrites. Electron microscopic examination of small cells confirmed the light microscopic observations. Medium-sized neurons possessed a relatively clear nucleus, clumps of Nissl substance, especially at a juxtanuclear position near the emergence of …