Abstract
The fine structure of the cerebellum of weaver mouse was examined and the paucity of granule cells and their axons, the parallel fibers, was confirmed. Unexpectedly, however, the dendritic spines of the Purkinje cells which, in normal animals, are the postsynaptic mates of the parallel fibers, were present. Furthermore, their essential morphology and their staining reactions were indistinguishable from those of the Purkinje cell dendritic spines in normal animals. Possible mechanisms of development are discussed.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.0 MB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Adinolfi A. M. The organization of paramembranous densities during postnatal maturation of synaptic junctions in the cerebral cortex. Exp Neurol. 1972 Mar;34(3):383–393. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(72)90036-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bloom F. E., Aghajanian G. K. Fine structural and cytochemical analysis of the staining of synaptic junctions with phosphotungstic acid. J Ultrastruct Res. 1968 Mar;22(5):361–375. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(68)90027-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bunge M. B., Bunge R. P., Peterson E. R. The onset of synapse formation in spinal cord cultures as studied by electron microscopy. Brain Res. 1967 Dec;6(4):728–749. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(67)90129-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fox C. A., Hillman D. E., Siegesmund K. A., Dutta C. R. The primate cerebellar cortex: a Golgi and electron microscopic study. Prog Brain Res. 1967;25:174–225. doi: 10.1016/S0079-6123(08)60965-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GLEES P., SHEPPARD B. L. ELECTRON MICROSCOPICAL STUDIES OF THE SYNAPSE IN THE DEVELOPING CHICK SPINAL CORD. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1964 Apr 9;62:356–362. doi: 10.1007/BF00339285. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gray E. G., Guillery R. W. Synaptic morphology in the normal and degenerating nervous system. Int Rev Cytol. 1966;19:111–182. doi: 10.1016/s0074-7696(08)60566-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gray E. G., Hamlyn L. H. Electron microscopy of experimental degeneration in the avian optic tectum. J Anat. 1962 Jul;96(Pt 3):309–316.5. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Herndon R. M., Margolis G., Kilham L. The synaptic organization of the malformed cerebellum induced by perinatal infection with the feline panleukopenia virus (PLV). II. The Purkinje cell and its afferents. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1971 Oct;30(4):557–570. doi: 10.1097/00005072-197110000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Herndon R. M. Thiophen induced granule cell necrosis in the rat cerebellum. An electron microscopic study. Exp Brain Res. 1968;6(1):49–68. doi: 10.1007/BF00235446. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jones D. G., Revell E. The postnatal development of the synapse: a morphological approach utilizing synaptosomes. I. General features. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1970;111(2):179–194. doi: 10.1007/BF00339784. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Larramendi E. M., Victor T. Synapses on the Purkinje cell spines in the mouse. An electronmicroscopic study. Brain Res. 1967 May;5(1):15–30. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(67)90216-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McMahan U. J. Fine structure of synapses in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral geniculate body of normal and blinded rats. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1967;76(1):116–146. doi: 10.1007/BF00337036. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mouren-Mathieu A. M., Colonnier M. The molecular layer of the adult cat cerebellar cortex after lesion of the parallel fibers: an optic and electron microscope study. Brain Res. 1969 Dec;16(2):307–323. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(69)90227-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Oppenheim R. W., Foelix R. F. Synaptogenesis in the chick embryo spinal cord. Nat New Biol. 1972 Jan 26;235(56):126–128. doi: 10.1038/newbio235126a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Palade G. E., Bruns R. R. Structural modulations of plasmalemmal vesicles. J Cell Biol. 1968 Jun;37(3):633–649. doi: 10.1083/jcb.37.3.633. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pfenninger K. H. The cytochemistry of synaptic densities. I. An analysis of the bismuth lodide impregnation method. J Ultrastruct Res. 1971 Jan;34(1):103–122. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(71)90007-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pinching A. J. Persistence of post-synaptic membrane thickenings after degeneration of olfactory nerves. Brain Res. 1969 Nov;16(1):277–281. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(69)90102-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Proceedings of the anatomical society of great britain and ireland. J Anat. 1966 Jul;100(Pt 3):683–706. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pru E. L., Briceno R. V. An unusual relationship between glial cells and neuronal dendrites in olfactory bulbs of Desmodus rotundus. Brain Res. 1972 Jan 28;36(2):404–408. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(72)90744-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Raisman G. A comparison of the mode of termination of the hippocampal and hypothalamic afferents to the septal nuclei as revealed by electron microscopy of degeneration. Exp Brain Res. 1969;7(4):317–343. doi: 10.1007/BF00237319. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SIDMAN R. L., LANE P. W., DICKIE M. M. Staggerer, a new mutation in the mouse affecting the cerebellum. Science. 1962 Aug 24;137(3530):610–612. doi: 10.1126/science.137.3530.610. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sax D. S., Hirano A., Shofer R. J. Staggerer, a neurological murine mutant. An electron microscopic study of the cerebellar cortex in the adult. Neurology. 1968 Nov;18(11):1093–1100. doi: 10.1212/wnl.18.11.1093. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Westrum L. E., Black R. G. Fine structural aspects of the synaptic organization of the spinal trigeminal nucleus (pars interpolaris) of the cat. Brain Res. 1971 Jan 22;25(2):265–287. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(71)90438-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Woodward D. J., Hoffer B. J., Siggins G. R., Bloom F. E. The ontogenetic development of synaptic junctions, synaptic activation and responsiveness to neurotransmitter substances in rat cerebellar purkinje cells. Brain Res. 1971 Nov;34(1):73–97. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(71)90352-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Yoon C. H. Developmental mechanism for changes in cerebellum of "staggerer" mouse, a neurological mutant of genetic origin. Neurology. 1972 Jul;22(7):743–754. doi: 10.1212/wnl.22.7.743. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
