Summary
Palisade-shaped nerve endings of the small normal hairs of the rat snout were examined with the electron microscope (fixation by perfusion). The terminals are located inside the ‘glassy membrane’ in the area of the neck of the hair root. The 10–20 radially arranged terminal axons are in direct contact with the basement membrane of the epithelium of the external root sheath. The axons are surrounded on all sides by leaf-shaped processes of the Schwann cells. The surfaces of these cell processes are marked by numerous vesicle-like invaginations (approx. 1000 Å dia.). Transverse sections from several areas of the palisadeshaped nerve endings are compared with longitudinal sections. In the upper area ‘empty’ vesicles (approx. 500–600 Å in diameter) occur, along with electron-dense vesicles (approx. 800–1100 Å in diameter); in the middle area, the axons are distended and contain accumulations of mitochondria.
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We are indebted to Miss B. Keller for valuable technical assistance, and to Mr. H. J. Stöcklin for his careful photographic work.
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Kadanoff, D., Seguchi, H. & Villiger, W. Ultrastructural investigations of the palisade-shaped nerve fiber terminals of the normal hairs of rat's snout. Z.Zellforsch 147, 259–269 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582800
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582800