SUBDIVISIONS OF THE MOTOR AND SOMATOSENSORY THALAMUS OF PRIMATES REVEALED WITH WISTERIA-FLORIBUNDA AGGLUTININ HISTOCHEMISTRY

We obtained well-differentiated staining of thalamic subdivisions in r hesus macaques and squirrel monkeys using a lectin, Wisteria floribund a agglutinin (WFA), that labels extracellular matrix proteoglycans. Re gional variations in staining were observed within the motor and somat osensory thalamic regions that bear on current interpretations of the organization of these regions. The pattern of WFA staining was general ly similar to that obtained with Cat-301 antibody, which also stains p roteoglycans. However, WFA reliably produced selective staining in bot h squirrel monkeys and macaques, whereas Cat-301 stained macaques more consistently than squirrel monkeys.