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An ultrastructural study of the neurosecretory cells of the medial vascular prechiasmatic gland

II. Nerve endings

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Summary

On the basis of the present electron microscopic study of the rat median vascular prechiasmatic gland, the unmyelinated nerve fibers containing dense-cored vesicles may be classified in three categories. (1) Nerve endings containing isomorphic rounded dense-cored vesicles, 800–1600 Å in diameter with a predominance of vesicles between 1100 and 1300 Å. These vesicles are synthesized in the nerve cell perikarya which are localized principally in the lamina profunda of the outer subpial layer and also in the neuropil of the inner glial covering layer. One or more “cholinergic” axon terminals are in contact with the surface of these nerve cell perikarya. The dense-cored vesicles travel in the axonal process which branches into an extensive terminal network characterized by the presence of small varicosities. They abut on the pericapillary spaces but never against another neuron or effector cell. A few nerve processes course between the ependymal cells and terminate in the preoptic recess of the third ventricle. The dense-cored vesicles may contain one of the primary monoamines. (2) Nerve endings containing pleomorphic dense-cored vesicles, 500–1600 Å in diameter with a predominance of vesicles between 800 and 1100 Å. The latter granular vesicles are associated with small, clear-centered vesicles, 260–550 Å in diameter, which are often aggregated in the vicinity of thickenings of the plasma membrane and of cytoplasmic dense projections. The intercellular space and the cell plasma membrane, however, do not display any modification facing these structures. Synapse-like contacts are observed between these nerve endings and cells containing a great amount of microfilaments and glycogen particles in their cytoplasm. The latter cells possibly represent processes of ependymal cells. (3) Nerve endings containing a few large dense-cored vesicles in addition to a majority of synaptic vesicles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département d'Anatomie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada

    Yvi J. Le Beux

  2. Laboratoires de Neurobiologie, Département d'Anatomie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada

    Yvi J. Le Beux

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  1. Yvi J. Le Beux
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This work was supported by research grants MA-3448 and 690033 from the Medical Research Council of Canada and the Conseil de la Recherche Médicale du Québec, respectively.

The author wishes to thank Professor Louis J. Poirier and Doctor Pierre Langelier for their helpful criticism during the preparation of the manuscript. The skilful technical assistance of Mrs. Marjolaine Turcotte is gratefully acknowledged.

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Le Beux, Y.J. An ultrastructural study of the neurosecretory cells of the medial vascular prechiasmatic gland. Z.Zellforsch 127, 439–461 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306865

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