ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE SPOON TYPE SYNAPTIC ENDINGS IN THE NUCLEUS VESTIBULARIS TANGENTIALIS OF THE CHICK

The fine structure of the "spoon" type synaptic endings of the chick tangential nucleus was studied with the electron microscope. These endings often measure ~18 µ in length by ~3–4 µ in width. The axoplasm of the endings contains very few synaptic vesicles, a large number of neurofilaments oriented parallel to the long axis of the nerve fiber, and microtubules and numerous mitochondria. The synaptic membrane complex shows areas of localized occlusion of the synaptic cleft with the formation of an external compound membrane. It has not been decided whether these areas have a disc shape; their length measures between 0.04 and 0.47 µ. The five-layer pattern characteristic of an external compound membrane is shown in specimens fixed with formalin—OsO₄, glutaraldehyde—acrolein—OsO₄, and acrolein KMnO₄ but it does not appear in the glutaraldehyde-OsO₄-fixed specimens. The over-all thickness of the external compound membrane varies depending upon the fixative used. The synaptic clefts in the regions between the external compound membrane discs are widened and measure ~300 A. A condensation of dense material occurs in pre- and postsynaptic cytoplasms all along the synaptic membrane complex. The morphological relationships described in the spoon endings are suggestive of electrical transmission.     

CONCENTRIC LAMINATION OF GLIAL PROCESSES IN OLIGODENDROGLIOMAS

Tissues were obtained by open biopsy of a series of human intracranial neoplasms, fixed in Veronal-buffered osmium tetroxide, and embedded in Vestopal-W. In two instances in which specimens were obtained from oligodendrogliomas in regions where the tumor had infiltrated but not entirely destroyed cortical tissues, glial processes were found to be arranged in a highly organized laminar fashion. This feature was not observed in two additional oligodendrogliomas nor in other types of intracerebral neoplasms. Three types of laminar structures were recognized: (a) perikaryal sheaths composed of several layers of overlapping or concentrically orientated glial processes, (b) layers of longitudinally orientated glial processes along the outer aspect of myelinated axons, and (c) small laminated figures composed of several concentrically disposed glial processes. Spirally constituted lamellar systems were not demonstrated. These findings indicate that under certain circumstances glial cells have the capacity to form sheaths and sheath-like structures by concentric lamination of several processes, rather than by spiraling of a single process.     

The metabolism of the isomeric decalones

1. The metabolism of (+/-)-cis-1-, (+/-)-trans-1-, (+/-)-cis-2- and (+/-)-trans-2-decalone in the rabbit has been investigated. 2. (+/-)-cis-2- and (+/-)-trans-2-Decalone were both reduced to racemic secondary alcohols, conformationally related to the ketones administered, and possessing an equatorial hydroxyl group. These alcohols were excreted in the urine as glucuronides in amounts equal to about half the dose administered. The glucuronides were isolated both as triacetyl methyl esters and as sodium salts. The ester obtained after feeding with (+/-)-cis-2-decalone proved to be methyl (cis-cis-2-decalyl tri-O-acetyl-beta-d-glucosid)uronate, whereas (+/-)-trans-2-decalone yielded methyl (trans-cis-2-decalyl tri-O-acetyl-beta-d-glucosid)uronate. The sodium salts were shown to be sodium (cis-cis-2-decalyl glucosid)uronate and sodium (trans-cis-2-decalyl glucosid)uronate. 3. Enzyme hydrolysis of the sodium salts and acid hydrolysis of the esters derived from (+/-)-cis-2-decalone yielded (+/-)-cis-cis-2-decalol, and of those from (+/-)-trans-2-decalone yielded (+/-)-trans-cis-2-decalol. 4. (+/-)-cis-1-Decalone was reduced mainly to (-)-cis-cis-1-decalol and excreted as [(-)-cis-cis-1-decalyl glucosid]-uronic acid. A small amount of the corresponding (+)-isomer was produced, yielding [(+)-cis-cis-1-decalyl glucosid]uronic acid on isolation. Enzyme hydrolysis of these compounds gave the corresponding aglycones; both alcohols possessed an equatorial hydroxyl group. 5. (+/-)-trans-1-Decalone was reduced to (+)-trans-trans-1-decalol, with an equatorial hydroxyl group, and in smaller amount to (+)-trans-cis-1-decalol possessing an axial group. The former alcohol was excreted as [(+)-trans-cis-1-decalyl glucosid]uronic acid, and the latter as [(+)-trans-cis-1-decalyl glucosid]uronic acid. 6. From a knowledge of the conformations, and in some cases the absolute configurations, of the compounds administered and excreted, and by making the assumption that the coenzyme concerned in the reductions is NADH (or NADPH), an explanation of the above findings in terms of steric hindrance and thermodynamic stability is given.     

The Fine Structure of Some Retinal Photoreceptors

An electron microscope study has been made of octopus and amphibian photoreceptors, after fixing with KMnO₄ and embedding in araldite. What has previously been seen as a single dense stratum bounding the tubular compartments (octopus) or the double membrane discs (rods and cones), now shows a double structure. We interpret this as showing that these tubules and discs have similar bounding surfaces, which are probably directly related to the cell membrane. This is confirmed by the finding that the tubules and discs are (at least occasionally) continuous with the cell membrane.