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Causal analysis of molecular patterning at neural plate and early neural tube stages has shown that the central nervous system (CNS) of vertebrates is essentially organized into transverse neural segments or neuromeres and longitudinal zones which follow the curved axis of the brain. The intersection of the longitudinal and transverse patterning processes in the embryonic brain leads to the formation of a checkerboard pattern of distinct progenitor domains called “fundamental morphological units” (FMUs). The topologically invariant pattern formed by the ventricular surfaces of the FMUs of a given taxon represents the “Bauplan” or “blueprint” of the brain of that taxon. The FMUs initially represent thin epithelial fields; during further development they are transformed into three-dimensional radial units, extending from the ventricular surface to the meningeal surface. It is of note that the boundaries of the neuromeres, longitudinal zones, and radial units all strictly adhere to a non-Cartesian coordinate system inherent to the CNS of all vertebrates. The major neural histogenetic processes, including cellular proliferation, radial migration, and differentiation, as well as the formation of grisea (cell masses, nuclei, and cortices), occur principally within the confines of the FMUs, although tangential migration may also take cells to distant sites. Hence, recognition and delimitation of these units is essential for the identification and interpretation of grisea. An outline of the procedure to be followed in these processes of identification and interpretation is presented, and a list of the pertinent homology criteria is provided.

Resume Les resultats de l'analyse du developpement embryonnaire du telencephale de Polypterus senegalus, ainsi que d'une courte description du telencephale de l'adulte ont ete compares aux donnees presentes dans la litterature scientifique, concernant le developpement et la structure du telencephale des Chondrosteens (Ch), des Holosteens (H) et des Teleosteens (T). Par l'organogenese et la morphologie de son telencephale, Polypterus presente de nombreux points de ressemblance avec les trois groupes ci-dessus cites. Dans la liste des resultats qui vont etre donnes, nous avons adopte le principe suivant: si le processus de developpement ou la structure dont il est fait mention concerne non seulement Polypterus, mais aussi les autres groupes de Poissons osseux, les initiales de ces groupes (Ch, H, T) seront ajoutees entre parentheses. 1 Comme chez tous les Gnathostomes, la morphogenese du telencephale du Polyptere commence par une inversion legere de ses parois laterales. 2 Par la suite, cette inversion, disparait. Les parois de l'ebauche telencephalique commencent a faire saillie dans la cavite ventriculaire et, correlativement, les taeniae (c'est-a-dire les deux lignes le long desquelles se rattache le toit telencephalique originellement etroit) se deplacent lateralement (H, T). 3 Ulterieurement, les taeniae se deplacent en direction ventrale, et l'apparition de sillons externes bilateraux (sulcus externus) indique les debuts du processus d'eversion (Ch, H, T). 4 Chez les Chondrosteens, les Holosteens et les Teleosteens, c'est l'epaississement des parois telencephalique qui domine pendant reversion; chez Polypterus au contraire, ces parois croissent bien plus suivant leur dimension dorsoventrale qu'en epaisseur. 5 Les bulbes olfactifs apparaissent au debut sous forme d'epaississements des parois telencephaliques. Plus tard, ils prennent la forme d'evaginations separees, possedant en propre leur cavites ventriculaires (Ch, H). 6 Outre reversion et l'evagination reelle bulbaire, une pseudoevagination (Kallen) se produit dans le telencephale de Polypterus. Ce processus conduit a la formation d'un septum ependymaire etendu (Ch, H). 7 Tot au cours du developpement, deux regions, qui sont respectivement l'area dorsalis telencephali ou pallium et l'area ventralis telencephali ou subpallium, peuvent etre distinguees d'apres des differences cytologiques (Ch, H, T). 8 La zone periventriculaire de l'area ventralis telencephali se differencie en un nucleus subpallialis dorsalis et un nucleus subpallialis ventralis (Ch, H, T). D'autres cellules de l'area ventralis migrent vers une position submeningee et forment un noyau subpallialis lateralis (H, T). 9 Une colonne de cellules migrantes dirigee rostroventralement, et provenant de la portion la plus dorsocaudale du manteau subpallie, aboutit a la formation du complexe des noyau entopedonculaires (Ch, H, T). 10 Dans l'area dorsalis telencephali du Polyptere, la couche du manteau embryonnaire persiste chez l'adulte sous forme d'une zone etroite de substance grise periventriculaire. Cette zone ne montre ni aux stades larvaires, ni chez l'adulte, de signe de differenciation en territoires distincts. 11 L'area dorsalis telencephali ou pallium du Polyptere montre un stade d'organisation bien plus simple que celui des Chondrosteens, des Holosteens et des Teleosteens. 12 Une couche cellulaire externe etendue se forme dans la partie rostrale evaginee du telencephale du Polyptere. Comme chez Acipenser, cette couche est en continuite avec la zone glomerulaire et appartient integralement a la formation bulbaire. Abstract In this paper an analysis of the development of the forebrain of Polypterus senegalus, and a short description of the adult telencephalon of that species has been presented. The results of this study have been compared with data obtained from the literature on the development and structure of the forebrain of the Chondrostei (Ch), Holostei (H), and Teleostei (T). It appeared that, with regard to the embryology and morphology of its forebrain, Polypterus shows many points of resemblance to the three groups mentioned. In the subsequent survey of results these similarities have been indicated as follows: if the process or feature mentioned occurs not only in Polypterus, but also in the other bony fish groups, the initials of these groups (Ch, H, T) are added in brackets. 1 As in all Gnathostomes the morphogenesis of the forebrain of Polypterus commences with a slight inversion of its lateral walls. 2 During further development this inversion disappears. The walls of the telencephalic anlage begin to protrude into the ventricular cavity, and concomitantly the taeniae (i.e. the lines of attachment of the initially narrow telencephalic roof plate) move laterally (H, T). 3 Later the taeniae are displaced ventrally, and the appearance of bilateral external grooves (sulci externi) marks the beginning of an eversion (Ch, H, T). 4 In the Chondrostei, Holostei and Teleostei the thickening of the telencephalic walls continues during the eversion, but in Polypterus these walls increase much more in dorsoventral length than in thickness. 5 The bulbi olfactorii develop initially as thickenings of the telencephalic walls. In later stages they assume the configuration of separate evaginations, with ventricular cavities of their own (Ch, H). 6 Apart from eversion and true evagination, an extensive pseudoevagination (Kallen) occurs in the forebrain of Polypterus. This process leads to the formation of an extensive ependymal septum (Ch, H). 7 Early in development two regions, i.e., the area dorsalis telencephali or pallium and the area ventralis telencephali or subpallium can be delimited on account of cytological differences (Ch, H, T). 8 The periventricular zone of the area ventralis telencephali differentiates into a nucleus subpallialis dorsalis and a nucleus subpallialis ventralis (Ch, H, T). Other cells within the area ventralis migrate to a submeningeal position and form a nucleus subpallialis lateralis (H, T). 9 A rostroventrally directed migration of cells, originating from the most dorsocaudal part of the subpallial mantle layer, leads to the formation of a complex of entopeduncular nuclei (Ch, H, T). 10 In the area dorsalis telencephali of Polypterus the embryonic mantle layer persists as a narrow zone of periventricular gray. Neither in the larvae nor in the adult does this zone show signs of a differentiation into separate fields. 11 The area dorsalis telencephali or pallium of Polypterus is much more simply organized than that of the Chondrostei, Holostei and Teleostei. 12 In the rostral, evaginated part of the forebrain of Polypterus an extensive external cell layer is formed. As in Acipenser this layer is coextensive with the glomerular zone and belongs entirely to the bulbar formation.

The release of neuronal secretory products by exocytosis in different layers of the median eminence of the rat was investigated ultrastructurally after perfusion with Ringer solution containing tannic acid. Exocytotic images were observed in all layers studied. Neurohaemal release sites were found in the pars externa of the palisade layer, where they occurred not only against the basal lamina of the pericapillary space, but also opposite, adjacent to neuronal and glial elements. In the lateral portion of the pars externa of the palisade layer most release sites were separated from the pericapillary space or the pial surface by ependymal or glial processes. In the pars interna of the palisade layer, and in the reticular, fibre and subependymal layers, release was observed in different types of axonal processes without morphological synaptic specializations. We suggest that products released in the pars externa of the palisade layer are destined to reach the capillaries of the primary portal plexus. Although the non-vascular release sites may serve a similar hormonal function, they may alternatively represent the morphological correlate of axo-axonal contacts or of paracrine, non-synaptic release sites.

The brain stem or truncus cerebri as defined here comprises the derivatives of two of the three primary brain vesicles, viz. the mesencephalon and the rhombencephalon. Both of these brain parts are well developed in the frog. Their importance appears immediately from the fact that they harbor the chief centers of origin and termination of all of the cranial nerves, with the exception of I. In addition, the brain stem of the frog contains a fairly well differentiated reticular formation and a number of sensory and motor relay nuclei with their associated ascending and descending connexions.

The localization and distribution of serotonin (5-HT) has in the rat brain been studied with the indirect immunofluorescence technique of Coons (1958)using a newly developed, specific antibody to 5-HT. This paper contains a detailed description of the distribution of 5-HT in the hypothalamus and hypophyis and a brief report on the localization of 5-HT containing cell bodies. Principally, 5-HT perikarya were present in neuron systems with a distribution similar to that revealed by the mapping of Dahlstrom & Fuxe (1964) with the formaldehyde-induced-fluorescence technique (FIF). However, in addition to the nine areas originally described, several other areas in the mesencephalon and rhombencephalon appeared to contain 5-HT cell bodies. In the hypothalamus no 5-HT positive neuronal perikarya could be observed. However, in the infundibulum and in the median eminence some 5-HT positive tanycytes and mast cells were observed. Serotonergic fibers and terminals are present throughout the hypothalamus. Particularly dense plexus of the fibers and terminals have been observed in the lateral hypothalamic area, nucleus mamillaris medialis, the nucleus perifornicalis, the nucleus suprachiasmaticus and the nucleus ventromedialis hypothalami. All remaining hypothalamic areas demonstrate various densities of 5-HT immunoreactive nerve fibers. In the pituitary 5-HT-like immunoreactivity have been found in the pars nervosa.

An electron microscopical morphometric analysis has been carried out at the medullary level of the pyramidal tract of the rat in order to quantify both myelinated and unmyelinated fibers: it was found that unmyelinated fibers outnumber myelinated ones substantially (133,000 ± 18,000 versus 91,000 ± 11,000, respectively). The unmyelinated fibers range from 0.05 to 1 μm in a monomodal distribution (mean 0.16 μm). For myelinated axons also a monomodal distribution was observed (ranges: axon 0.10–4 μm, mean 0.80 μm; myelin sheath 0.25–5 μm, mean 1.19 μm).

It has been known for a long time (Tiedemann, 1816; Stieda, 1868) that the forebrain of teleosts differs considerably from that of the other vertebrates. It consists of two solid lobes which are separated from each other by a median slit-like ventricle. Lateral ventricles surrounded by nervous tissue, which are found in almost all other vertebrates are lacking, and this is not only the case in the adult stage, but also during development. Thus, the solid condition of the teleostean telencephalic lobes is not due to an obliteration of initially present ventricular cavities, but is rather a primary feature.