Kaczmarek L K, Finbow M, Revel J P, Strumwasser F
J Neurobiol. 1979 Nov;10(6):535-50. doi: 10.1002/neu.480100604.
The bag cells in the abdominal ganglion of Aplysia californica control egg-laying behavior by releasing a polypeptide (ELH) during an afterdischarge of synchronous action potentials. We have used intracellular injection of Lucifer Yellow to study the morphology and interconnections of the bag cells. These neurosecretory cells are typically multipolar and their processes extend in all directions out from the bag cell clusters into the surrounding connective tissue, where they branch in a complex manner. In some of the dye injection experiments, dye transfer from the injected cell to neighboring cells was observed. Freeze fracture of the bag cell clusters and their surrounding connective tissue revealed numerous gap junctions on bag cell processes within the clusters as well as on more distal processes. We have also examined the morphology and coupling between bag cells in primary culture. As in the intact ganglion, bag cells in culture were found to be multipolar. All pairs of bag cells whose somata or processes had formed contacts in culture were electrically coupled. The strongest coupling was observed between pairs of cells whose somata appeared closely apposed. In these cases transfer of Lucifer Yellow between cells could also be observed. It is therefore likely that the synchrony of bag cell action potentials during a bag cell afterdischarge is a result of coupling between individual cells in the bag cell cluster.
加州海兔腹神经节中的袋状细胞，通过在同步动作电位的后放电期间释放一种多肽（产卵激素，ELH）来控制产卵行为。我们利用向细胞内注射荧光黄来研究袋状细胞的形态和相互连接。这些神经分泌细胞通常是多极的，其突起从袋状细胞簇向各个方向延伸到周围的结缔组织中，并在那里以复杂的方式分支。在一些染料注射实验中，观察到染料从注射的细胞转移到相邻细胞。对袋状细胞簇及其周围结缔组织进行冷冻断裂，发现在簇内的袋状细胞突起以及更远端的突起上有大量缝隙连接。我们还研究了原代培养中袋状细胞的形态和耦联情况。与完整神经节中的情况一样，培养中的袋状细胞也是多极的。在培养中，所有其胞体或突起形成接触的成对袋状细胞都发生了电耦联。在胞体看起来紧密相邻的细胞对之间观察到最强的耦联。在这些情况下，也能观察到荧光黄在细胞间的转移。因此，袋状细胞后放电期间袋状细胞动作电位的同步性很可能是袋状细胞簇中单个细胞之间耦联的结果。
