Acetylcholinesterase activity of synaptic structures in the spinal trigeminal nucleus.

The electron microscope has been used to study the localization of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the spinal trigeminal nucleus of normal cats with special emphasis on the distribution near synaptic structures. Reaction product is found around both round and flattened synaptic vesicle-containing axon terminals, particularly in synaptic clefts and often specifically associated with the presynaptic, or less frequently the postsynaptic membrane. The presence of reaction product at these specific sites suggests that these are areas of high AChE activity and that acetylcholine may be important in neurotransmission in these regions.