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Pattern of synaptic connections in the pineal organ of the ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis (Teleostei)

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Summary

Synaptic connections were studied by means of electron microscopy in the sensory pineal organ of the ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis, a highly photosensitive teleost species. Three types of specific contacts were observed in the pineal end-vesicle: 1) symmetrically organized gap junctions between the basal processes of adjacent photoreceptor cells; 2) sensory synapses endowed with synaptic ribbons, formed by basal processes of photoreceptor cells and dendrites of pineal neurons; 3) conventional synapses between pineal neurons, containing both clear and dense-core vesicles at the presynaptic site. Based on these findings, the following interpretations are given: (i) The gap junctions may be involved in an enhancement of electric communication and signal encoding between pineal photoreceptor cells. (ii) The sensory synapses transmit photic signals from the photoreceptor cells to pineal nerve cells. (iii) The conventional synapses are assumed to be involved in a lateral interaction and/or summation of information in the sensory pineal organ. A concept of synaptic relationships among the sensory and neuronal elements in the pineal organ of the ayu is presented.

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  1. Yuri Omura

    Present address: Institut für Anatomie und Zytobiologie, Aulweg 123, 6300, Giessen, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Cytobiology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany

    Yuri Omura

  2. Fisheries Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

    Yuri Omura

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  1. Yuri Omura
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Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Federal Republic of Germany

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Omura, Y. Pattern of synaptic connections in the pineal organ of the ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis (Teleostei). Cell Tissue Res. 236, 611–617 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217230

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