Synaptic organization of the nucleus gracilis of the cat. Experimental identification of dorsal root fibers and cortical afferents

The synaptic organization throughout the nucleus gracilis has been investigated in unoperated cats. Axon terminals of variable size can establish synaptic contacts with neuronal somata, dendritic processes, initial segment of axons or with other axon terminals at “complex synaptic arrangements.” Large boutons with rounded vesicles are regularly associated with smaller boutons containing flattened vesicles; the latter type of bouton forms frequently a double synapse being presynaptic to the large bouton and to the element postsynaptic to this (“complex synaptic arrangements”). Medium‐sized to small axon terminals of the “isolated” type contain primarily either rounded or flattened vesicles. These boutons are surrounded by a thin glial process which also wraps the postsynaptic element, mostly represented by a small dendritic profile. The “isolated” type of bouton seems to be more abundant in the rostral than in the caudal part of the nucleus. In all unoperated control animals altered axons and axon terminals are present. They are enlarged and display hyperplasia and dilatation of tubular profiles of smooth endoplasmic reticulum as well as proliferation of microtubules and various aspects of mitochondrial degeneration. In cats sacrificed 48 hours after section of lumbo‐sacral dorsal roots a high number of “dark” boutons are observed in various stages of degeneration. These terminals are identifiable with the large boutons containing rounded vesicles and postsynaptic to the smaller boutons with flattened vesicles. The morphology of dorsal root terminals in the nucleus gracilis is discussed in relation to that of primary afferent terminals in other central structures and to the functional aspects of axo‐axonic contacts. The sensori‐motor cortex was removed in another series of animals which were sacrificed after one to four days. As a consequence of such lesions cortical fiber terminals in the nucleus gracilis may undergo either the “dark” or the “light” type of degeneration. These terminals are of smaller size than those of primary afferents, they usually synapse on dendritic profiles of small diameter, are not involved in axo‐axonic contacts and seem to contain rounded vesicles. Therefore they can be identified with at least some of the small and medium‐sized boutons of the “isolated” type.