Early development of the inferior olivary complex in pouch young opossums. II. An electron microscopic study.

At birth the inferior olivary complex (IOC) is not present in the caudal ventro-medial brainstem of the opossum. In the 3-7-day-old animal (15-19 days post-conception), this same region does contain neurons of the developing IOC. The immature neurons are characterized by large, centrally placed nuclei surrounded by a thin rim of cytoplasm. The neuropil contains numerous small-diameter profiles which contain bundles of filaments and scattered microtubules. Occasional synaptic endings, containing round clear vesicles, contact large, flocculent profiles. By 10-14 days of age, the olivary complex begins to separate into individual nuclei; however, the olivary cell bodies and the surrounding neuropil exhibit many of the same features as in the 3-7-day-old opossums. In opossums 21-25 days old, there is an increase in varicosities and irregular contours along many of the dendritic shafts. Furthermore, synaptic terminals, possessing round clear vesicles, now contact the soma, dendritic shafts, dendritic varicosities, spines, and large, flocculent profiles. Terminals containing pleomorphic vesicles or a mixture of clear and large granular vesicles are presynaptic only to dendritic spines or large, flocculent profiles. Neuroglial cell bodies have been identified at all ages examined. It is not until days 65-68 that pre- and postsynaptic elements are organized into synaptic clusters (glomeruli), which are typical of the adult. Spiny appendages and small-diameter dendrites comprise the central core of the clusters which are surrounded by synaptic endings containing a variety of vesicle types. Thus it would appear that subsequent to their initial arrival (day 16-17), the synaptic relationships of cerebellar and midbrain afferents are modified to reflect their adult configuration by days 65-68. This extended period of development (postnatal days 3-68) for the olivary complex provides a good model for assessing the effects of experimental manipulations.