Figure 6.

Blue cones form smaller and fewer Cx36 gap junctions. A, The outer segments of primate cones were labeled with a cone arrestin antibody (7G6). In addition, blue cone outer segments were stained with antibodies against blue cone opsin (BCO). B, The labeling could be followed through the confocal stack down to the cone cell bodies. C, The blue cone opsin and 7G6 labeling were followed further in the confocal series to identify blue cone pedicles in the array of green/red cone pedicles. Blue cone pedicles, marked by asterisks, were smaller with fewer telodendria. There was robust Cx36 labeling (red) at telodendrial contacts between cones, some of which are circled. In contrast, the telodendria of blue cones were mostly too short to reach adjacent cones. Two longer telodendria were not labeled for Cx36 (arrows).