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Giant terminals in the dorsal octavolateralis nucleus of lampreys
Author(s) -
Koyama Hiromichi,
Kishida Reiji,
Goris Richard,
Kusunoki Toyokazu
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.903350208
Subject(s) - horseradish peroxidase , biology , nucleus , neurofilament , anatomy , soma , medulla , synaptic vesicle , ultrastructure , vesicle , axoplasmic transport , medulla oblongata , synapse , neuroscience , central nervous system , membrane , immunohistochemistry , biochemistry , immunology , enzyme , genetics
The dorsal octavolateralis nucleus of lampreys is a primary nucleus for electroreceptive stimuli in the medulla. In Lampetra japonica , the rostral and caudal thirds of this nucleus are exclusively occupied by giant terminals, which become evident when the primary fibers of an electrosensory nerve (recurrent branch of the anterior lateral line nerve) are labeled with horseradish peroxidase. We studied the ultrastructure of these terminals. They contain neurofilaments, mitochondria, microtubules, and tubular membranous structures. Many synapses, all of the chemical type, are located around the neck region of the terminal swellings. Many vesicular structures, which are clear, round, and uniform in size, and most of which are probably synaptic vesicles, are densely clustered in a single large mass in the neck region of the terminals. Some of the tubular structures may serve as a membrane reservoir for the large number of synaptic vesicles required in the giant terminals. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.