Summary
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1.
Acetylcholinesterase in the hippocampal formation is located on the axonal membrane of cholinergic fibres of the alveus, in cholinergic neuropil, on the pre- and postsynaptic membranes at certain synapses, in the granular endoplasmic reticulum and the nuclear envelope of Golgi type II cells in the stratum oriens, and to a small extent in pyramidal cells.
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2.
The dense layers of acetylcholinesterase seen in certain layers of the hippocampal formation by light microscopy correspond to regions of dense cholinergic neuropil.
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3.
The terminals of cholinergic afferents in the hippocampal formation are predominantly axodendritic.
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4.
Axosomatic endings, though rare on pyramidal cells, are frequent on Golgi cells of the stratum oriens.
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5.
Light and dark cells can be distinguished in the granular layer of the dentate gyrus.
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Dedicated to Prof. W. Bargmann on his 60th birthday.
This work was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council. We wish to thank our assistant Miss Annette Pine for her skilful help in the preparation of material, and Mr. J. F. Crane and Mr. G. Oakes for photography.
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Shute, C.C.D., Lewis, P.R. Electron microscopy of cholinergic terminals and acetylcholinesterase-containing neurones in the hippocampal formation of the rat. Z.Zellforsch 69, 334–343 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406286
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406286