Abstract.
Under the transmission electron microscope, synaptic ribbons (SRs) of the mammalian pineal gland appear as rod-like organelles. Their three-dimensional structure is not precisely known. In the present study, pineal SRs were investigated using serial sections obtained from rats killed at noon and midnight. The shape of the SRs was reconstructed based on SR profile length and the number of sections in which the profiles were contained. The results obtained show that SRs are basically flat plate-like structures with polymorphic lateral edges. Reconstructions of SRs revealed that they had average dimensions of 300×150×35 nm and were 19.3% larger at night than at day; the difference in SR size points to perhaps major differences in synaptic function between day and night.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 20 May 1996 / Accepted: 1 July 1996
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jastrow, H., von Mach, MA. & Vollrath, L. The shape of synaptic ribbons in the rat pineal gland. Cell Tissue Res 287, 255–261 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004410050750
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004410050750