Ultrastructural study of ascending projections to the lateral mammillary nucleus of the rat.

We examined the synaptic organization of ascending projections from the pars ventralis of the dorsal tegmental nucleus of Gudden (TDV) and the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus to the lateral mammillary nucleus (LM). The LM neuropil consists of terminals containing pleomorphic synaptic vesicles and forming symmetric synaptic contact, and terminals containing round synaptic vesicles and forming asymmetric synaptic contact. They make up 63% and 37%, respectively, of all axodendritic terminals. All axosomatic terminals contain pleomorphic vesicles and make symmetric contact. Following injection of WGA-HRP into the TDV, many anterogradely labeled terminals and retrogradely labeled cells are found in the LM. Labeled terminals contact mainly proximal (more than 2 microns diameter) and intermediate (1-2 microns diameter) dendrites. Serial ultrathin sections of the LM show that 55% of axosomatic terminals are labeled anterogradely. Following injection of WGA-HRP into the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus, many anterogradely labeled terminals are found in the LM, but no retrogradely labeled cells are present. Labeled terminals contact mainly distal (less than 1 micron diameter) and intermediate dendrites as well as somata. In the LM neurons, 46% of axosomatic terminals are labeled anterogradely. All labeled terminals from these nuclei contain pleomorphic vesicles and make symmetric synaptic contact. These results indicate that almost all axosomatic terminals come from the TDV and the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus, which send inhibitory inputs to the lateral mammillary nucleus.