Summary
Neuronal perikarya, dendrites, extraglomerular neuropil, and synaptic glomeruli were examined by electron microscopy in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGd) of the mouse. Particular attention was paid to boutons containing “flattened” synaptic vesicles.
In line with recent studies of rat LGd (Lieberman and Webster, 1972; Lieberman, 1973), but in contrast to the findings of Rafols and Valverde (1973) on the mouse LGd, two distinct classes of ‘flat’-vesicle-containing boutons could be distinguished. P-boutons—were traced to and probably originate entirely from the presynaptic dendrites of the intrinsic neurons. They are concentrated within the glomeruli and are postsynaptic as well as presynaptic, being the intermediate elements in numerous intraglomerular serial synapses. F-boutons—are interpreted as axon terminals and are exclusively presynaptic. Some were traced from myelinated fibres. Synaptic vesicles are more concentrated in F-boutons than in P-boutons, appear flatter, and lie in a darker matrix. F-boutons synapse extensively in the extraglomerular neuropil, but are outnumbered by P-boutons in the glomeruli.
The synaptic relationships established within the glomeruli are summarized.
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Lieberman, A.R. Comments on the fine structural organization of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the mouse. Z. Anat. Entwickl. Gesch. 145, 261–267 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00519637
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00519637