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Synaptic and Synaptoid Vesicles Constitute a Single Category of Inclusions: New Evidence From Invertebrate Nervous Systems
Author(s) -
May Barbara A.,
Golding D. W.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6395.1982.tb00766.x
Subject(s) - biology , polychaete , synaptic vesicle , ultrastructure , vesicle , anatomy , ecology , biochemistry , membrane
Parallel observations on synaptic and neurohaemal terminals in the polychaete annelids Nereis diversicolor and Harmothoe imbricata have revealed a remarkable identity of ultrastructure. Even features peculiar to the synaptic vesicles of polychaetes are mirrored by those of synaptoid inclusions. A wide range of terminal types show a clear duality of secretory inclusions, featuring both ‘storage granules’ and synaptic/synaptoid vesicles. The inclusions exhibit a marked zonation. Vesicles form tight clusters with interstitial dense material in many terminals and these make contact with release sites. Terminals containing larger, typically peptidergic granules often have mainly dense‐cored synaptic/synaptoid vesicles, although some such inclusions are present in other endings also. A variety of synaptic associations are present, and ‘serial synaptoids’ are formed by neurohaemal terminals. The results are interpreted to suggest that synaptic and synaptoid vesicles have a common functional significance.