This is an historical archive of the activities of the MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit (MRC ANU) that operated at the University of Oxford from 1985 until March 2015. The MRC ANU established a reputation for world-leading research on the brain, for training new generations of scientists, and for engaging the general public in neuroscience. The successes of the MRC ANU are now built upon at the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit at the University of Oxford.

Synaptic connections of axo-axonic (chandelier) cells in human epileptic temporal cortex.

Neuroscience 1986;19(4):1179-86.

Synaptic connections of axo-axonic (chandelier) cells in human epileptic temporal cortex.

Kisvárday ZF, Adams CB, Smith AD
Abstract:
The human temporal cortex contains a type of interneuron, identified by Golgi impregnation which, like the axo-axonic or chandelier cells found in animals, establishes Gray's type II synaptic contacts exclusively with the axon initial segments of pyramidal cells. Each terminal segment is composed of 3-12 boutons to form a "chandelier"-like appearance. For the two human axo-axonic cells analysed in this study we could identify 269 and 86 bouton rows respectively, which represents an equivalent number of postsynaptic pyramidal cells. A terminal bouton row from one of these Golgi-impregnated cells was shown to be in synaptic contact with the axon initial segment of a Golgi-impregnated pyramidal cell. The very specific nature of the target of axo-axonic cells, together with their highly divergent axonal arborization, means that they are ideally placed to control the output of a large population of pyramidal cells. Since previous studies in animals have shown the GABAergic nature of axo-axonic cells it is possible that human axo-axonic cells could be involved in the generation of epileptic activity or in the control of its propagation.