[Morphologic types of bipolar cells identified by regular grids of their axonal varicosities in the inner synaptic layer of the clupeid retina].

A morphological structure of the inner plexiform layer in the acute vision area was studied in the retina of five Clupeidae species by a light microscope. It is shown that this layer is a three-dimensional regular grid formed by bulbous varicosities (synaptic complexes) of the axons of the bipolar cells. These varicosities arranged of different levels of the inner plexiform layer form mutually coordinated periodic grids differing in the orientation and periods. The analysis of this structure shows that not less than three types of bipolar cells take part in its organization.