Greetings colleagues,
I am forwarding a letter of inquiry for Drs. Johnson, Switzer, and Welker.
Feedback would be most useful by the end of July, but will also be useful
through next year (summer '95)
Please forward this letter to any persons or groups that you believe
would be interested. NOTE: Do not forward this letter if you receive it
after April 1995.
Also those of you who may be in departments where you know of someone
who would be interested in this project but does not use the network
please print out a copy of this letter for them.
Thank you,
Preston Holmes
UCSD Dept. of Neuroscience
------------------Begin forwarded letter------------
LETTER OF INQUIRY
We want to make the contents of our brain collections
accessible to wider audiences than has heretofore been possible.
Electronic technology offers a possible means for you and other
scientists and educators to make use of the large number and
variety of mammalian brains that we have sectioned and stained
over the past several decades. By making sections from the
collection accessible, we intend not only that you be able to
view them, but also be able to download them, edit them, label
them, print them to slides or paper for your own illustrations,
measure them in all the ways you can measure graphic images of
tissue, make three-dimensional reconstructions from them, and to
do probably several other things we have not thought of.
To obtain the financial support necessary to provide such access,
reviewers and publishers will want to know something of the
potential audience. That is why we are contacting you.
At this time we have in mind two modes of electronic presentation
of collection contents (images of stained sections, photographs
of intact brains, and data about the specimens):
1. Distribution via CD-ROM
2. Placement on the Internet
If you would be interested in such products, please let us know
(any one of us, by any means of communication, and soon). We
would like to know the basis for your interest (your field,
specialty, any other information about yourself). If you would
like samples of images on floppy disks, and a complete listing of
collection contents, let us know and we will send them to you. If
you know of other individuals (students, colleagues, etc.) who
might be interested in our proposed electronic Brain Library,
please let us know who they are, pass this note on to them, and
ask them to contact us.
If you would like an extensive and complete sample set of images,
we invite you to volunteer as an evaluator of our planned
prototype disk. We would send you a CD-ROM containing sets of
images representing from 50 to 100 levels of section, in three
planes, of brains of two or more species (at this time we plan on
these being the Owl Monkey Aotus trivirgatus and the Slow Loris
Nycticebus coucang, with possibly some human sections for
comparison). We would ask you to perform a couple of relatively
simple tasks using the images, and send us the results, along
with an account of how you would like subsequent sets to be
prepared so as to maximize their usefulness to you. The CD-ROM
would be yours to keep and use.
John I. Johnson, Ph. D.
Anatomy Department, A514 East Fee Hall
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1316
e-mail johnso48 at pilot.msu.edu
FAX 517/336-2443
telephone 517/353-3852
Robert C. Switzer III, Ph. D.
Neuroscience Associates, 10915 Lake Ridge Drive
Knoxville, TN 37922
e-mail nervdoc at aol.com
telephone: 615/675-2245
FAX: 615/675-2787
Wally Welker, Ph. D.
Department of Neurophysiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
281 Medical Sciences Building,
1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706
e-mail welker at neurophys.wisc.edu
FAX 608/265-3500
telephone 608/262-0850, 241-7088
LIST OF SPECIMENS IN THE WISCONSIN AND MICHIGAN STATE BRAIN
COLLECTIONS.
The specimens are complete section series, stained and mounted
on glass slides. In most cases even-numbered sections are
stained for cell bodies (Nissl method), intervening sections are
stained for myelinated fibers (variations on the Weigert method).
The first specimen of a particular species is usually sectioned
in the coronal plane; of the additional specimens, at least one
is sectioned in the sagittal plane and one in the horizontal
plane. Most specimens include a standard set of photographs of
the intact brain, and sets of brain and body measures.
Numbers following each specimen indicate number of brains
sectioned at Wisconsin (W) and at Michigan State (S)
MONOTREMATA
Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) W8 S2
Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) S3
MARSUPIALIA
Woolly opossum (Caluromys lanatus) S3
Gamba (Didelphis albiventris) S1
Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) W4 S3
Monito del monte ((Dromiciops australis) S1
Mouse opossum, cuica (Marmosa murina) S1
Cuica (Marmosa thylamys) S1
Four-eyed opossum (Philander opossum) S2
Native cat (Dasyurus viverrinus) S3
Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) S2
Marsupial mouse (Antechinus flavipes) W1 S3
Common dunnart (Sminthopsis murina) S1
Bandicoot, shortnosed (Isoodon obesulus) S3
Bandicoot, longnosed (Perameles nasuta) S2
Shrew opossum (Caenolestes obscurus) S2
Raton runcho peruano (Lestoros inca) S2
Brush-tail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) W1 S3
Sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) S2
Squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) S1
Ring-tailed possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) W1 S3
Greater glider (Schoinobates volans) S1
Honey possum (Tarsipes spenserae) S1
Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) W1 S3
Rat kangaroo (Potorous tridactylus) S2
Tammar (Macropus eugenii) S2
Gray kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) S1
Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) S2
Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) S3
Quokka (Setonix brachyurus) S2
Rufous wallaby (Thylogale billardieri) S3
INSECTIVORA
Streaked tenrec (Hemicentetes hemispinosus) W3
Tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus) W1
Large Madagascar hedgehog (Setifer setosus) W2
European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) W2
European shrew (Sorex araneus) W1
Short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) S1
American mole (Scalopus aquaticus) W1 S1
Star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) S1
MACROSCELIDEA
Elephant shrew (Elephantulus myurus) W1
DERMOPTERA
Flying lemur (Cynocephalus variegatus) W1
CHIROPTERA
Fruit bat (Pteropus giganteus) W1
Lesser horsehoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) W1
Greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) W1
Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) W3
Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) S1 W2
White-lined bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) S1
Bulldog bat (Noctilio labialis) S1
Asian leafnosed bat (Hipposideros armiger) S1
Fringe-lipped bat (Trachops cirrhosus) S1
False vampire bat (Vampyrum spectrum) S1
Long-tongued bat (Monophyllus redmani) S1
Shortail leafnose bat (Carollia perspicillata) S1
Neotropical fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) S1
Short-leaf-nosed cave bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum) S1
Funnel-eared bat (Natalus micropus) S1
Velvety free-tailed bat (Molossus major) S1
SCANDENTIA
Tree shrew (Tupaia glis) W3
PRIMATES
Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) W1
Mongoose lemur (Lemur mongoz) W1
Mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) W1
Slow loris (Nycticebus coucang) W3
Potto (Perodicticus potto) W1
Lesser galago (Galago senagalensis) W2
Greater galago (Galago crassicaudatus) W4
Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) W1
Owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus) W7 S1
Howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) W1
Cebus monkey (Cebus capucinus) W4
Squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) W18
Spider monkey (Ateles ater) W3
Titi monkey (Callicebus sp.) W1
Marmoset (Saguinus sp.) W5
Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) S8 W10
Pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) W2
Sooty mangabey (Cercocebus torquatus) W1
Guinea baboon (Papio hamadryas) W2
Mandrill (Papio sphinx) W1
Guenon (Cercopithecus talapoin) W1
Langur (Presbytis entellus) W1
Gibbon (Hylobates lar) W1
Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) W5
Human (Homo sapiens) W4 S1
EDENTATA
Giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) W1
Lesser anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla) W1
Two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylis) W1
9-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) W1
LAGOMORPHA
Jack-rabbit (Lepus americanus) W1
Domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) W10
RODENTIA
Mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) W2
Gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) W3
Marmot (Marmota marmota) W1
Woodchuck (Marmota monax) S1
Ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus) W5
Flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) W1
Pocket gopher (Geomys talpoides) W1
Kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami) W1 S4
American beaver (Castor canadensis) W4
Deer mouse, California (Peromyscus californicus) S2
Deer mouse, cactus (Peromyscus eremicus) S3
Deer mouse, Florida (Peromyscus floridanus) S2
Deer mouse, cotton (Peromyscus gossypinus) S2
Deer mouse, white-footed (Peromyscus leucopus) S2
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) W3
Gerbil, mongolian (Meriones unguiculatus) W2 S2
Lab rat (Rattus norvegicus) W31 S4
Common mouse (Mus musculus) W14 S2
Dormouse (Glis glis) W1
North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) W1
Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) W8
Capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) W6
Chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger) W1
Agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) S1
CETACEA
Bottle-nose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) W1
CARNIVORA
Domestic dog (Canis familiaris) W5
Coyote (Canis latrans) W1
Red fox (Vulpes fulves) W2
Fennec (Fennecus zerda) W1
Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) W1
Ring-tailed cat (Bassariscus astutus) W3
North American raccoon (Procyon lotor) W10 S1
Crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) W1
Coatimundi (Nasua nasua) W3
Kinkajou (Potos flavus) W3
Olingo (Bassaricyon gabbii) W1
Lesser panda (Ailurus fulgens) W1
Ferret (Mustela putorius) W1 S3
Short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea) W2
Mink (Mustela vison) W1
Grison (Galictis vittata) W1
American badger (Taxidea taxus) W1
Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) W2 S1
Mierkat,yellow mongoose (Cynictus penicillata) W1
Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) W1
Domestic cat (Felis catus) W30 S3
American mountain lion (Felis concolor) W2
Leopard (Panthera pardus) W1
African lion (Panthera leo) W3
Tiger (Panthera tigris) W1
PINNIPEDIA
Northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) W2
California fur seal (Zalophus californianus) W1
Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubata) W1
Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) W1
HYRACOIDEA
Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) W2
SIRENIA
Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus) W8
PERISSODACTYLA
Zebra (Equus burchelli) W1
ARTIODACTYLA
Domestic pig (Sus scrofa) W1
Collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) W1
Llama (Lama peruana) W2
Camel (Camelus dromedarius) W1
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) W1
Zebu (Bos indicus) W1
Domestic goat (Capra hircus) W1
Domestic sheep (Ovis aries) W1 S3
Many additional valuable specimens are still in celloidin
block and await processing.
---------End forwarded letter---------------
