Intrinsic Projections of Layer Vb Neurons to Layers Va, III, and II in the Lateral and Medial Entorhinal Cortex of the Rat

Cell Rep. 2018 Jul 3;24(1):107-116. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.06.014.

Abstract

Layer V of the entorhinal cortex (EC) receives input from the hippocampus and originates main entorhinal outputs. The deep-sublayer Vb, immunopositive for the transcription factor Ctip2, is thought to be the main recipient of hippocampal projections, whereas the superficial-sublayer LVa, immunonegative for Ctip2, originates the main outputs of EC. This disrupts the proposed role of EC as mediating hippocampal-cortical interactions. With the use of specific (trans)synaptic tracing approaches, we report that, in medial entorhinal cortex, layer Vb neurons innervate neurons in layers Va, II, and III. A similar circuitry exists in the lateral entorhinal cortex. We conclude that EC-layer Vb neurons mediate two circuits in the hippocampus-memory system: (1) a hippocampal output circuit to telencephalic areas by projecting to layer Va and (2) a feedback projection, sending information back to the EC-hippocampal loop via neurons in layers II and III.

Keywords: hippocampal-cortical connections; hippocampal-entorhinal connections; interlaminar connectivity; parahippocampus; rodent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Entorhinal Cortex / cytology*
  • Hippocampus / physiology
  • Male
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar