Summary
Electron microscopy of the cerebro-visceral connectives of Anodonta cygnea shows numerous long rows of dense core vesicles within the smaller axons of the connectives. These vesicles are often linked together by bridges of electron-dense material reinforced by one or more “arms”. The use of the tilting stage on the electron microscope, which allows the bridges to be examined from different angles, confirms the presence of these vesicular connections.
Sub-cellular fractionation of the cerebro-visceral connectives was carried out to study the nature of these bridged dense core vesicles. In the negatively stained vesicle fraction two or more dense core vesicles are joined in a row by connections similar to the vesicular bridges of the intact connective. In the fixed vesicle fraction, many of the dense core vesicles are connected by bridges but long rows of bridged vesicles are not seen.
The functional significance of the vesicular bridges is discussed. Preliminary findings of this work have been reported previously (McLaughlin and Howes, 1973).
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Acknowledgements. We would like to thank Brij Gupta for assistance in stereo-electron microscopy and John Heslop for helpful discussion and review of the manuscript. One of us (B.J.M.) was recipient of a post-doctoral grant from the Underwood Fund.
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McLaughlin, B.J., Howes, E.A. Structural connections between dense core vesicles in the central nervous system of Anodonta cygnea L. (mollusca, eulamellibranchia). Z.Zellforsch 144, 75–88 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306687
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306687