Axoglial synaptoid contacts in the neural lobe of the human fetus.

Axoglial synaptoid contacts as well as junctional specializations were examined in the neural lobe of five human fetuses ranging from 7.5 to 19 weeks of ovulation age. Because synapselike contacts (SLC), which have both presynaptic and postsynaptic densities, were observed only in the younger fetus (7.5 weeks), they may be transient structures. Axoglial SLC were also found in older fetuses, but their structural characteristics were different from those found in a 7.5-week fetus in that the cytoplasmic membrane density was found only on the presynaptic side and its extent was decreased. In the youngest fetus observed here (7.5 weeks), puncta adherentia were observed. In the fetuses older than 11 weeks, gap junctions, long adherentia-type junctions with thick filamentous structures, and mixed junctions with both types of contact were found between pituicytes.