성장기 흰쥐 시각피질의 신경연접에 대한 도은법 및 전자현미경적 연구

Silver Impregnation and Electron Microscopic Studies on the Synapse in the Visual Cortex of Rat during Postnatal Development

These studies were performed to observe the morphological changes of synapses in the visual cortex of rat during early postnatal development. Specimens of the visual cortex were taken from rats (Sprague Dawley) at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days of age, and prepared for silver impregnation and electron microscopy. The number of synapse and the length of postsynaptic thickening were increased progressively with age, especially 14 and 21 days. The number of dendritic spine was increased conspicuously on postnatal days 14-21. And asymmetic, curved and axo-spinous synapses were increased markedly at the same ages. The present findings suggest that spurt of synaptogenesis in the rat visual cortex occurs during early postnatal development, especially in second to 3rd week period and asymmetric and/or curved axo-spinous synapse is a matured form of synapse with advanced age.