Synaptic organization of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the adult hamster. An electron microscope study using degeneration and horseradish peroxidase tracing techniques.

The synaptic organization of the alpha sector of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus has been examined by electron microscopy in normal adult hamsters and in adult hamsters subjected to unilateral eye enucleation or intravitreal injection of horseradish peroxidase. Two types of neuropil are apparent. Islands of complex neuropil partially enclosed by astrocyte processes (synaptic glomeruli) are surrounded by a sea of simpler non-glomerular neuropil. The latter is dominated by small axon terminals with spherical synaptic vesicles and Gray type 1 axodendritic contacts (SR-boutons) and also contains axon terminals with flattened synaptic vesicles (F-boutons). The glomerular neuropil contains exclusively postsynaptic dendrites and dendritic protrusions of presumptive projection cells; pre- and postsynaptic pleomorphic-vesicle-containing P-boutons (interpreted as appendages of the dendrites of interneurons); large axon terminals containing spherical synaptic vesicles and large pale mitochondria (R-boutons) which were experimentally identified as retinal terminals and which are presynaptic to both projection cell dendrites and P-boutons at Gray type 1 contacts; F-boutons (minority component). F-boutons and P-boutons are presynaptic to both projection cell dendrites and P-boutons and P-boutons are the intermediate elements of various serial synapses including triplet (triadic) synapses. Medium-large terminals with spherical synaptic vesicles and dark mitochondria (RLD-boutons) which were commonly invaginated by dendritic spines of projection cells in small glomerulus-like formations were also identified. The origin of RLD-boutons is unknown but SR-boutons probably derive chiefly from ipsilateral visual cortex and possibly also from superior colliculus, and non-glomerular F-boutons probably originate in the ipsilateral thalamic reticular nucleus. No differences in synaptic organization were found between the part of the nucleus which receives uncrossed retinal input and the part which receives crossed input, nor were differences seen in the size, fine structure or relationships between the terminals of identified crossed and uncrossed retinal axons.