Nerve Cells and Fibers in the Optic Lobe Cortex of Octopus

Abstract

Montages of electron micrographs from the outer portion of the cortex of the optic lobe of Octopus are shown. Sheets of dark cytoplasm which originate from glial cells in the outer granular layer form a basement layer separating the outer granular layer from the deeper plexiform layer.Optic nerve fibers from the retina entering the optic lobe around its periphery must pass between the amacrine cells composing the bulk of the outer granular layer. Here they are the darker of the two fiber types that can be identified. Passing through the basement layer they expand into large “carrot” shaped terminal endings easily identified by their dark appearance caused by the extremely high content of synaptic vesicles they contain.Fibers in the neuropil press tightly against and indent the “carrots” and occasionally make synaptic contact with them. Some fibers penetrate deeply into the “carrots” where they branch and terminate in grape-like clusters that show many synaptic contacts with the enveloping bag.