Further observations of the ultrastructure of synaptosomes separated from spinal cord and medulla, with especial emphasis on the postsynaptic membrane.

Abstract

Synaptosomes from rat medulla and spinal cord have been examined in an attempt to formulate morphological criteria for distinguishing between those found in two subfractions of P1 (nuclear fraction). The mean diameter of those in the lighter of the subfractions (P1C) is 0.6 mum, with a preponderance in the range 0.4-0.6 mum and a minor peak at 0.7-0.8 mum. Subjunctional bodies are associated with 60.2% of the junctional regions in this subfraction. By contrast, those in the heavy subfraction (P1D) have a larger overall diameter (0.7 mum), a greater percentage of them have visible junctional regions (68.1% opposed to 51.6%), but of the junctional regions a lower percentage have associated subjunctional bodies (36.2%). The subjunctional bodies consist of a central core with five spokes radiating from it. The tips of the spokes are connected by fine strands which connect individual bodies to neighboring ones, as well as to the postsynaptic thickening. The persistence of subjunctional bodies in synaptosomes highlights the strength of the attachment between them and the postsynaptic thickening, and suggests that these bodies may be integral components of the "postsynaptic thickening complex." They may also help in the formulation of criteria by which different populations of these synaptosomes may be separated from each other.