Isolated Rabbit Neurones: Electron Microscopical Observations

Abstract

WE have shown that neurones isolated in Ringer–Locke or in isotonic sucrose solutions lack the image of a surface membrane over the greater part of the soma and dendrites¹. Since then, we have developed media in which an electron-dense surface image is maintained². These investigations have been carried out on ox neurones, and while we have made efforts to isolate and fix the cells as soon as possible after the death of the animal, the time lapse involved is considerably longer than when smaller laboratory animals are used. Therefore we have made observations on rabbit neurones isolated by hand dissection and fixed at intervals between 12 and 60 min after the death of the animal. In addition, we have examined rabbit neurones which have been incubated for 2 h at 37° C in the succinoxidase assay mixture used in cytophysiological investigations of isolated nerve cells by Hydén et al.^3,4.