ACUTE ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES IN RAT OLFACTORY GLOMERULI AFTER PERIPHERAL DEAFFERENTATION

Acute terminal degeneration has been studied in rat olfactory glomeruli after disconnection of the first nerve. At the 48-hour period, densification of some terminals was apparent at the electron microscopical level. This densification is due to an excessive crowding of vesicles, and to a densification of axoplasm and mitochondria. Other alterations recorded were a hyperplasia of neurofilaments isolated or associated to terminal densification, and the occurrence of diverse membranous arrays. At the 3-day period many degenerating terminals have been already engulfed by astrocytic processes. In general, the en masse" degeneration of groups of neighboring terminals was the rule. Some images suggestive of post-synaptic dendrite involvement were also recorded. © 1969."