An Electron Microscopic Study on the Hypothalamus of the Hibernating Bat I. Fine Structure of the Nerve Cell

동면중인 박쥐의 시상하부에 대한 전자현미경적 연구 I. 신경세포의 미세구조

The posterior hypothalamus of the hibernating greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum korai Kuroda) were observed with an electron microscope. The posterior hypothalamus is known to be closely related to the reflex responses activated by cold, and the following observations were obtained in the cellular type of nerve cells: there are three types of neurons in the posterior hypothalamus. 1. The first type of neuron was the largest, ovoid or conical in shape, the nucleus was elliptic and the nuclear envelope had many deep invaginations. The cell organelles were well developed, in particular there was an abundance of variously shaped mitochondria, and the Golgi complex and the polysomes were observed in the cytoplasm. 2. The second type of neuron was moderate in size, ovoid or elliptic in shape, the nucleus was located nearer to the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope had. a few invaginations. The cytoplasm was rich in amount compared with that of the third type of neuron, and the cell organelles, especially the rough endoplasmic reticulum were well developed. Also lipofuscin pigments were observed. 3. The third type of neuron was the smallest in size and round in shape. The nucleus and the nucleolus were observed in the central portion of the cell body and the nuclear envelope had a few invaginations. The cytoplasm was small compared with those of the first and second types, but the rough endoplasmic reticulum, the mitechondria and the polysomes were relatively well developed. The cytoplasm was characterized by the presence of membrane-bound small bodies with a single membrane containing a fine particular substance around the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complexes.