Intramembranous particle distribution at the node of Ranvier and adjacent axolemma in myelinated axons of the frog brain.

The plasma membrane of myelinated axons in the frog brain has been examined by the freeze-fracture technique. The cytoplasmic leaflet of the axolemma contains numerous randomly distributed particles in nodal and internodal regions but relatively fewer particles in the axoglial junctional portion of the paranodal region. Particle distribution is even less uniform in the outer leaflet of the axolemma, which contains a low concentration of particles in the internodal region and a relatively high concentration at the node of Ranvier (approximately 1200 particles mum-2). The nodal particles tend to be larger than most intramembranous particles, approaching 200 A diameter. The paranodal region of the leaflet is virtually devoid of such particles except in the narrow helical 'groove' which faces extracellular clefts between terminating glial processes. In places this pathway widens to form 'lakes' up to approximately 0.3 mum2 area which contain large numbers of large particles resembling those at the node. The concentration of particles at the node is in the same range as the concentration of sodium channels estimated to be in this region and it is suggested on the basis of their location and concentration that these particles represent ionophores. The distribution of particles in the paranodal region suggests that the large intramembranous particles do not have free access to the axoglial junctional portion of the membrane and therefore the movement of such particles along the paranodal region of the membrane may occur primarily in the membrane of the 'groove' spiraling through this portion of the axolemma. Such a restriction in surface area for particle movements on either side of the node of Ranvier could result in trapping of particles at the node and thus contribute to their concentration in the nodal axolemma.