The cytoarchitecture of the nucleus angularis of the barn owl (Tyto alba)

The cochlear nucleus angularis (NA) of the barn owl (Tyto alba) was analyzed using Golgi, Nissl, and tract tracing techniques. NA forms a column of cells in the dorsolateral brainstem that partly overlaps with, and is rostral and lateral to, the cochlear nucleus magnocellularis (NM). Highest best frequencies are mapped in lateral NA (NAl), intermediate in medial NA (NAm), and lowest in the foot region (NAf). Cell density followed the tonotopic axis and decreased with decreasing best frequency. NA contained four major cell classes: planar, radiate, vertical, and stubby. Planar and radiate classes were further subdivided into bipolar and multipolar types according to their number of primary dendrites. Planar neurons were confined to an isofrequency band, whereas radiate neurons had dendrites that could extend across an isofrequency band. Vertical cells had long dendrites oriented perpendicularly to isofrequency bands. Stubby cells were the most numerous and were confined to an isofrequency band because of their short dendrites. Neurons in each of these four classes projected to the inferior colliculus and dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus.