Connectivity between Pyramidal Neurons in L2/L3 of Rat Visual Cortex

<div><p>(A–D) Images representing the average structures of axons (A and B) and dendrites (C and D) of pyramidal neurons originating from L2 (A and C) and L3 (B and D). Yellow dots depict cell somata. Ellipsoids capture the spatial extent of the synaptic clouds identified from these images. The dimensions and the displacementμ of each cloud were measured as illustrated in <a href="http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.0010011#pcbi-0010011-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1</a>B. The images were created using dendritic and axonal arborization drawings based on data representations in [<a href="http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.0010011#pcbi-0010011-b22" target="_blank">22</a>] by kind permission of B. Hellwig. </p> <p>(E–H) Average number of contacts between pre- and postsynaptic neurons as a function of the distance between them. The type of axonal–dendritic connection is shown on each plot. Empirical curves [<a href="http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.0010011#pcbi-0010011-b22" target="_blank">22</a>] are plotted in black. Fitted theoretical curves are plotted in blue and predicted curves are plotted in red. Dots show stochastic variations in the theoretical number of contacts.</p>