ALTERED EXPRESSION OF PARVALBUMIN AND CALBINDIN IN INTERNEURONS WITHIN THE PRIMARY VISUAL CORTEX OF NEONATAL ENUCLEATED HAMSTERS

In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the expression of calcium binding proteins (CaBPs) parvalbumin (PV), calretinin (CR) and calbindin (CB) is dependent upon sensory experience as emphasized in visual deprivation and deafferentation studies The expression of CaBPs was studied in interneurons within the primary and extrastriate visual cortices (V1 V2M, V2L) and auditory cortex (AC) of adult hamsters enucleated at birth The effects of enucleation were mainly confined to area V1 where there was a significant volume reduction (26%) and changes in the laminar distribution of PV and CB immunoreactive (IR) cells The density of PV IR cell bodies was significantly increased in layer IV and reduced in layer V Moreover, the density of CB IR neurons was inferior in layer V of V1 in enucleated hamsters (EH) compared to controls These results suggest that some features of the laminar distribution of specific CaBPs, in primary sensory cortices, are dependent upon or modulated by sensory input (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of IBRO