Enkephalin-like immunoreactive axon terminals make synapses with alpha-motoneurons in the chicken.
Methionine (Met)-enkephalin (Enk)-like immunoreactive axon terminals on HRP-labeled alpha-motoneurons were studied using the indirect antibody peroxidase--anti-peroxidase technique in the chicken. Electron microscopically, Met-Enk-like immunoreactive axon terminals containing dense-cored vesicles and clear vesicles made axosomatic and axodendritic synapses with PLD alpha-motoneurons. Dense-cored vesicles were sometimes observed to be adjacent to the presynaptic membrane accompanied by the postsynaptic density. These results suggest morphologically that alpha-motoneurons may be directly modulated by enkephalins.
D000818:Animals; D000870:Anterior Horn Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000378:metabolism*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine