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The fine structure of the cuneate nucleus in normal cats and following interruption of afferent fibres An electron microscopical study with particular reference to findings made in Glees and Nauta sections

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Abstract

A description is given of the ultrastructure of the cuneate nucleus in the cat. The observations are based on findings made in 5 cats, 2 normal and 3 operated. Many normal boutons have in addition to ordinary synaptic vesicles also flattened vesicles, granular vesicles and various types of membranous structures. Flattened vesicles are also present in degenerating boutons belonging to the fibres of the cuneate fascicle. Small spines are present on dendrites.

The greater part of the dendritic surface is covered by boutons, but only a moderate number of boutons contact the soma of the cells. A comparison is made between the findings made in Glees and Nauta sections, and those made in electron micrographs of operated animals. The comparison shows that reliable conclusions concerning the presence of axo-somatic and axo-dendritic synapses can only be made in electron micrographs.

Altogether 32 degenerating boutons have been measured in electron micrographs from the animal with a bilateral lesion of the sensori-motor region of the cerebral cortex. These degenerating boutons are small and have an average diameter of 1,3 μ. They are mostly in synaptic contact with small dendrites.

Altogether 180 degenerating boutons have been studied in electron micrographs from the two animals with a lesion of the dorsal funiculi. These degenerating boutons are large and have an average diameter of 1,8 μ.

Only about 1/5th of the boutons in the nucleus belongs to the fibres of the cuneate fascicle. They terminate almost exclusively on dendrites. The dendrites are mostly small. The degenerating terminal fibres are myelinated.

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  1. nAnatomical Institute, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Fred Walberg

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Walberg, F. The fine structure of the cuneate nucleus in normal cats and following interruption of afferent fibres An electron microscopical study with particular reference to findings made in Glees and Nauta sections. Exp Brain Res 2, 107–128 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00240401

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00240401

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