• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.101-108
• /
• 2001

Five kinds of neurosecretory cells (type-A, B, C, D and E) and neuropiles surrounding them were observed in the visceral ganglion and the right parietal ganglion of the African giant snail, Achatina fulica, by transmission electron microscopy. Type-A cells (diameter, $35{\mu}m$) are the most popular cells in the cortex of the two ganglions, which are of triangular or irregular forms. In their cytoplasm, there are found large granules of 1 fm in diameters and small round granules of about $0.1{\mu}m$ in diameters. Small granules are classified into the ones of high electron density and the others of middle electron density. Type-B cells (diameter, $19\times12{\mu}m$) are evenly distributed over various portions of cortex and medulla of the two ganglions. They are similar to type-A cells in shapes. The cytoplasm of type-B cells is crowded with high electron dense granules of about $0.1{\mu}m$. Round granules of about $0.7{\mu}m$ in diameters are also found but rarely. Type-C cells are the smallest cells whose sizes are about $8\times6{\mu}m$. Each of them contains a large nucleus of about $6\times5{\mu}m$. Its cytoplasm is full of electron dense granules of about $0.23{\mu}m$, each of which is artually an assembly of tiny granules of about $0.03{\mu}m$. Type-D cells are middle-size cells of about $28\times20{\mu}m$, which take ellipsoidal or irregular forms. They are found in the cortex more than in the medulla. Their cytoplasm looks dark due to the high electron density and, in it, two kinds of round granules whose sizes are $1.6{\mu}m$fm and $0.6{\mu}m$, respectively, are observed. Type-E cells are large cells of about $100\times50{\mu}m$, which are rarely found in the upper and middle portions of the two ganglions. The nucleus of the cell, which is very large $(70\times30{\mu}m)$ for the cytoplasm, contains electron dense round granules of diverse sizes (diameters, $1\sim0.2{\mu}m$). The surface of the cell protrudes filopodia of various forms and phagocytizes decrepit cells. Neuropiles are surrounding the neurosecretory cells. In nerve fibers, synaptic vesicles are observed, which are classified into six classes according to their electron densities , sizes and shapes.