• Molecules and Cells
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.7-19
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• 2008

Complexins play a critical role in the control of fast synchronous neurotransmitter release. They operate by binding to trimeric SNARE complexes consisting of the vesicle protein Synaptobrevin and the plasma membrane proteins Syntaxin and SNAP-25, which are key executors of membrane fusion reactions. SNARE complex binding by Complexins is thought to stabilize and clamp the SNARE complex in a highly fusogenic state, thereby providing a pool of readily releasable synaptic vesicles that can be released quickly and synchronously in response to an action potential and the concomitant increase in intra-synaptic $Ca^{2+}$ levels. Genetic elimination of Complexins from mammalian neurons causes a strong reduction in evoked neurotransmitter release, and altered Complexin expression levels with consequent deficits in synaptic transmission were suggested to contribute to the etiology or pathogenesis of schizophrenia, Huntington's disease, depression, bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, Wernicke's encephalopathy, and fetal alcohol syndrome. In the present review I provide a summary of available data on the role of altered Complexin expression in brain diseases. On aggregate, the available information indicates that altered Complexin expression levels are unlikely to have a causal role in the etiology of the disorders that they have been implicated in, but that they may contribute to the corresponding symptoms.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.31-68
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• 1985

Authors are trying to unveil the ultrastructural organization of olfactory bulb, which has been summerized under light microscopic level or communicated only in some detail in different view point until now. For the critical point of view, since the phylogenetical approach will give the ultimate value in the correlative study between structural and functional bases (Brodal, 1969), the present study was carried out light and electron microscopic analyses of the structures of the neurons and synaptic organizations in olfactory bulbs from different animals in phylogenetical scale. We selected each one species from five animal classes: the house rabbit(Oryctolagus cuniculus var. domesticus [Gmelin]) from Mammalia, the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson) from Aves, the viper (Agkistrodon hylys [G.P. Pallas]) from Reptilia, a frog (Bombiana orientalis Boulenger) from Amphibia and the crussian carp (Carassius carassius [Linne]) from Pisces. For light microscopic study, samples were fixed in 10% formalin and paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. For the electron microscopic study, the tissues were fixed by perfusion through the heart or immersion with 1% paraform-aldehyde-glutaraldehyde mixture (phosphate buffer, pH 7.4), and final tissue block trimmed under dissecting microscope were osmicated (1% OsO4), they were embedded in Araldite or Epon 812, and ultrathin sections were made by LKB-V ultratome following the inspection of semi-thin sections stained with toluidine blue-borax solution. Ultra-thin sections contrasted with uranyl acetate and lead citrate were observed with JEM 100CX electron microscope. We have summerized our morphological analyses as follows: 1. The olfactory bulb of rabbit, viper and frog shows the eight layers of fila olfactoria, glomerular, external granular, external plexiform, mitral cell, internal plexiform, internal granular, medullary but domestic fowl shows the five layers of glomerular, fibrillar, mitral, granular and medullary and the three layers of fibrilla, glomerular and medullary in crussian carp. The sharpness of demarcation between the layers shows deferential tendency according to phylogenetical order. 2. Mitral cells of vertebrate have large triangular or oval shape with spherical nuclei which contain not so much chromatin. The cytoplasm contains numerous cell organelles, of which Nissl's bodies or granular endoplasmic reticula arranged as parallel strands. Development of granular endoplasmic reticula were declined as the phylogentical grade is going lower. 3. Tufted cells of all animal are mostly spindle or polygonal contour and contain oval nuclei which located in periphery of cytoplasm. The nuclei of rabbit, fowl, viper and frog has relatively space chromatin, but a nucleus of crussian carp contain irregularly aggregated chromatin in karyoplasm. Their cytoplasmic volume and cell organelle contents are in between those of mitral cell and granular cell. They contain moderate amount of mitochondria, granular endoplasmic reticula, a few Golgi complex, polysomes, lysosome, etc. 4. Granule of cells of all the vertebrate amimals studied exhibit similar features; cells and their dense nuclei show spherical or oval contour, and they have the thin rim of cytoplasm which contain only a few cell organelles. 5. In rabbit, the soma of mitral cells were in contact with boutons with two types of synaptic vesicles, that is, round and flat vesicles, especially flat vesicles in boutons were showing reciprocal synapses. However, in domestic fowls, vipers, frogs and crussian carps, there were found boutons showing only spherical synaptic vesicles. 6. The boutons containing round synaptic vesicles were made contact with the some of tufted cell of olfactory bulb in the rabbits, fowls, vipers and frogs, but no synaptic boutons were observed in soma of tufted cells in crussian carps. In the frogs, there were observed dendrites were contact with the soma of tufted cells. 7. In the neuropils of plexiform, granular and glomerular layers olfactory bulbs in the vertebrate, the synapses were axo-large dendrites, axo-median and small dendrites, dendrodendritic, and axo-axonal contacts. However, in the neuropil of crussian carps, synapses were observed only in glomerular layer.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.349-367
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• 1996

The development of small granule-containing cell in the superior cervical ganglion was studied by electron microscopic method in human fetuses ranging from 40 mm to 260 mm crown rump length (10 to 30 weeks of gestational age). At 40 mm fetus, the superior cervical ganglion was composed of clusters of undifferentiated cells, primitive neuroblasts, and unmyelinated nerve fibers together with blood vessels. At 90 mm fetus, the superior cervical ganglion consisted of neuroblasts, satellite cell, small granule-containing cells, and unmyelinated nerve fibers. Two morphological types of the small granule-containing cells in the superior cervical ganglion were first indentified at 90 mm fetus, but were rare. Type I granule-containing cell occurred in solitary and had long processes, whereas type II cells tend to appeared in clusters near the blood capillaries. The granule-containing cells were characterized by the presence of dense-cored vesicles ranging from $150{\sim}300nm$ in diameter in both the cell bodies and processes. Other organelles included abundant mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, neurotubules, and widely distributed ribosomes. The granule-containing cells had long processes similar to those found in principal ganglionic cells. They could be identified by their content in dense-cored vesicles. The small granule-containing cells increased somewhat in size and number with increase of fetal age. Synaptic contacts were first found on the solitary granule-containing cell at 150 mm fetus. Synaptic contacts between the soma and processes of type I granule-containing cells and preganglionic axon terminals were observed. In addition, synaptic junctions between the processes of granule-containing cells and presumed dendrite of postganglionic neuron were also observed from 150 mm onward. On the basis of these features type I granule-containing cells could be considered as interneurons. The clusters of type II granule-containing cells were located in the interstitial or subcapsular portions of the ganglion, and had short processes which ended in close relation to fenestrated capillaries. Therefore it may be infer that clusters of type II granule-containing cells have an endocrine function.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.139-158
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• 1998

The development of the superior cervical ganglion was studied by electron microscopic method in human fetuses ranging from 40 mm to 260 mm of crown-rump length (10 to 30 weeks of gestational age). At 40 mm fetus, the superior cervical ganglion was composed of clusters of undifferentiated cell, primitive neuroblast, primitive supporting cell, and unmyelinated fibers. At 70mm fetus, the neuroblasts and their processes were ensheated by the bodies or processes of satellite cells. The cytoplasm of the neuroblast contained rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi complex, Nissl bodies and dense-cored vesicles. As the neuroblasts grew and differentiated dense-cored vesicles moved away from perikaryal cytoplasm into developing processes. Synaptic contacts between the cholinergic axon and dendrites of postganglionic neuron and a few axosomatic synapses were first observed at 70 mm fetus. At 90 mm fetus the superior cervical ganglion consisted of neuroblasts, satellite cells, granule-containing cells, and unmyelinated nerve fibers. The ganglion cells increased somewhat in numbers and size by 150 mm fetus. Further differentiation resulted in the formation of young ganglion cells, whose cytoplasm was densely filled with cell organelles. During next prenatal stage up to 260 mm fetus, the cytoplasm of the ganglion cells contained except for large pigment granules, all intracytoplasmic structures which were also found in mature superior cervical ganglion. A great number of synaptic contact zones between the cholinergic preganglionic axon and the dendrites of the postganglionic neuron were observed and a few axosomatic synapses were also observed. Two morphological types of the granule-containing cells in the superior cervical ganglion were first identified at 90 mm fetus. Type I granule-containing cell occurred in solitary, whereas type II tended to appeared in clusters near the blood capillaries. Synaptic contacts were first found on the solitary granule-containing cell at 150 mm fetus. Synaptic contacts between the soma of type I granule-containing cells and preganglionic axon termials were observed. In addition, synaptic junctions between the processes of the granule- containing cells and dendrites of postganglionic neuron were also observed from 150 mm fetus onward. In conclusion, superior cervical ganglion cells and granule-containing cells arise from a common undifferentiated cell precursor of neural crest . The granule-containg cells exhibit a local modulatory feedback system in the superior cervical ganglion and nay serve as interneurons between the preganglionic and postganglionic cells.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.102-109
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• 2011

턱끝혀근은 호흡을 위해 상부기도를 확보하는 중요한 근육이지만 정상적으로 수축하지 못하면 상부기도를 폐쇄함으로써 호흡장애가 생길 수있다. 이것은 턱끝혀근을 지배하는 운동신경원의 연접입력 이상으로 생각하고 있으나 이러한 연접입력에 대해서는 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 본 연구에서는 흰쥐의 턱끝혀근을 지배하는 운동신경원과 연접하는 억제성 및 흥분성 신경종말의 분포 양식에 대해 분석하고자 하였으며, 이를 위해 신경추적자인 HRP를 주입하여 턱끝혀근 지배 운동신경원을 표식하고, 운동신경원을 세포체와 가지돌기의 근위부, 중간부 및 원위부로 구분한 후, 전자현미경용 연속절편을 제작하여 GABA, glycine 및 glutamate 항체를 사용한 postembedding immunogold histochemistry를 시행하였다. 정량적 분석은 3개의 턱끝혀근 운동신경원에 연접한 622개의 신경종말 중 157개는 세포체에서, 188개는 14개의 가지돌기 근위부에서, 181개는 35개의 가지돌기 중간부에서, 96개는 28개의 가지돌기 원위부에서 각각 연접 양상을 분석하였다. 관찰한 신경종말의 71.9%에서 사용된 3종류의 아미노산에 대한 면역양성반응이 나타났는데 이 중 32.8%는 GABA 또는 glycine에 대한 면역양성반응을 보였고, 39.1%는 glutamate에 대한 면역양성반응을 보였다. GABA 또는 glycine에 대한 면역양성 신경종말 중 14.2%는 glycine에만 면역양성반응을 보였고, 13.3%는 glycine과 GABA에 동시에 면역양성반응을 보였으며, 5.3%만이 GABA에만 면역양성반응을 보였다. 억제성 아미노산에 면역양성반응을 보인 신경종말에는 납작하거나, 타원형 또는 둥근 형태의 연접소포가 함유된 반면, 흥분성 아미노산에 면역양성반응을 보인 신경종말에는 구형의 소포와 약간의 큰 치밀연접소포가 함유되어 있었다. 억제성 신경종말과 흥분성 신경종말의 분포 비율은 가지돌기 원위부에서 각각 23.9% 대 43.8%로 가장 높았지만, 세포체(35.7% 대 38.2%), 가지돌기의 근위부(34.6% 대 37.8%), 및 중간부(33.1% 대 38.7%)에서는 큰 차이를 보이지 않았다. 억제성 신경종말의 synaptic covering (%)은 세포체에서 가지돌기 원위부로 갈수록 감소되었지만, 흥분성 신경종말의 synaptic covering (%)은 각 부위에서 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 본 연구를 통하여 턱끝혀근 지배 운동신경원은 세포체와 가지돌기의 부위에 따라 GABA, glycine 및 glutamate를 함유하는 전운동신경원들에 의해 서로 다른 양식의 제어를 받고 있다는 것을 알 수 있었으며, 운동신경원의 부위에 따른 이러한 억제성 및 흥분성 연접입력 양식의 차이는 유연한 혀운동의 제어기전과 밀접한 관련이 있을 것으로 추정된다.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.32-40
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• 1994

This study was undertaken to study the morphological changes of rat synapses during early postnatal periods. Neonatal rats were grouped by 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th postnatal weeks, and we observed the ultrastructural pattern of the synapses in the external plexiform layer of olfactory bulbs by electron microscopy. The results were as follows; 1. The numbers of synapses, lengths of synaptic thickenings and amounts of synaptic vesicles were markedly increased in the external plexiform layer during four postnatal weeks. 2. There was a tendency of increasing the proportion of the asymmetric synapse and the curved synapses during maturation. From the above results, it is suggested that the size of synapse is increasing during maturation, and at the same time the asymmetric synapses are formed from the symmetric type and the curved synapses are from the plane type.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.265-272
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• 2000

낙지 Octopus minor의 상완 신경절을 광학현미경과 전자현미경을 통해 관찰한 결과 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 낙지의 상완신경절은 각각의 흡반 밑에서 둥근 형태로 관찰되었는데 그들의 크기는 흡반의 크기에 비례하였다. 둥근 형태의 상완신경절은 피질부와 수질부 두 부분으로 구분되었던 바, 피질부에서는 신경세포의 집단이, 수질부에는 신경망이 위치해 있었다. 신경세포의 집단에서는 3종류(소, 중, 대형)의 신경세포들이 관찰되었는데 소신경세포는 직경이 $0.9{\mu}m$정도인 둥근 형태의 작은 세포인데 비해 중신경세포는 직경 $1.6\times1.3{\mu}m$정도인 타원형세포였다. 대신경세포는 직경이 $2.8{\mu}m$정도 크기의 난원형의 큰 세포로 확인되었고 이들 3종류의 세포들은 모두 전자밀도가 낮아서 밝게 관찰되었으며 세포소기관의 발달은 미진하였다. 또한 중신경세포인 경우에는 $0.6\times0.4{\mu}m$정도 크기의 전자밀도가 중등도인 방추형 신경교세포에 의해 둘러싸여 있었다. 수질부의 신경망에서는 다양한 크기의 수상돌기와 축색돌기들이 복잡한 그물형태를 하고 있었다. 이들은 돌기내에서 4종류의 화학연접소포 (chemical synaptic vesicle)들을 소지하고 있었는데, 전자밀도가 매우 높고 직경이 100 nm 정도인 electron-dense synaptic vesicle과 전자밀도가 중등도이며 직경이 90nm 정도인 median electron-dense synaptic vesicle 그리고 중앙에 전자밀도가 높은 둥근 핵을 포함하는 직경 90nm정도의 electron-dense cored synaptic vesicle등이 관찰되었다. 그러나 전자밀도가 투명한 연접소포(electron-lucent synaptic vesicle)는 직경이 50nm정도로 가장 작은 형태를 하고 있었다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.50-54
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• 2008

The vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) transports glutamate into pre-synaptic vesicles. Three isoforms of VGLUT have been identified in humans, but their functional differences remain largely unknown. EAT-4 is the only homologue of human VGLUT in C. elegans. Here we report that mutants of eat-4 exhibit hyperforaging behavior and that each of the isoforms of human VGLUT functionally rescues the defects in eat-4 worms.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.715-725
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• 1994

The ultrastructural investigations of the parotid gland of Korean native goat were carried out by transmission electron microscopy. The results were as follows; 1. The acini of parotid gland were composed of light and dark acinar cells. 2. In the light acinar cells, the secretory granules were classified into three types according to their electron densities and dense bodies. One type of granules was low electron density and had no dense bodies. Another type was low electron density and had dense bodies, and the other type was low electron density and had granular dense bodies. 3. The secretory granules of dark acinar cells showed high electron density and were also calssified into three types by dense bodies as the same way as in the light acinar cells. 4. The intercalated ducts consisted of simple cuboidal epithelium. The nuclei of epithelial cells were oval or round form, located at the central part, and had infolding nuclear membranes and one or two nucleoli. 5. The cells of both of the striated and excretory ducts were composed of light cells, dark cells, specific light cells and basal cells. 6. The nerve terminals were distinguished into two types. One had large granular synaptic vesicles, and another had small agranular synaptic vesicles.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.709-714
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• 1999

성층 초파리의 단안 신경계를 미세형태학적으로 연구 하였다. 단안은 수용기말단, 개재신경 그리고 신경교세포의 3종류로 구성되어 있다. 이들은 전자현미경 사진상에서 각기 다른 밝기를 보여주고 있으므로 쉽게 구분이 가능했다. 신경교세포 내에는 조면소포체가 풍부하게 존재하고, 수용기 말단과 개재신경내에는 신경세포에서 물질의 이동 통로인 미소관이 다수 관찰되었다, 수용기말단과 신경교세포를 연결해주는 capital projection이라는 인상적인 구조물이 관찰된다. 수용기 말단과 개재신경의 시냅스 활성부에 존재하는 리본모양의 구조물과 이들 주위에 모여있는 시냅스 소포들이 자주 관찰되었다. 그리고 단안 시신경이 최종적으로 집중되어 뇌로 신호를 전달해 주는 거대개재신경(giant interneuron)의 횡단 구조를 관찰 할 수 있었다.