Synapses of optic nerve afferents in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus. I. Identification, qualitative description, development and distribution.

Synapses of optic nerve afferents (optic synapses) in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) have been identified ultrastructurally. They are easily distinguished from other types of synapses. The optic boutons are characterized by the presence of large mitochondria with a swollen electron lucent matrix and an interconnected tubular system formed by their inner membrane. Other, more variable features include: 1) a scattered pattern of synaptic vesicles which are found throughout the entire presynaptic element with relatively little accumulation near the active zones; 2) the occurrence of dense core vesicles and glycogen granules; 3) the active zones, the majority of which is Gray-type I, but a minority can obviously be classified as Gray's type II; 4) the innervation of smaller peripheral dendrites and dendritic spines. Boutons of this kind are exclusively filled with anterogradely transported horseradish peroxidase injected into both eyes. Very few neuronal elements containing the typical mitochondria have been observed in the SCN on the 6th day post partum, increasingly more on the 9th and 12th day, but considerably higher numbers after opening of the eyes on the 17th and the following days. The location of normal and degenerating optic boutons was examined light- and electron microscopically. In the rostral third of the SCN there are relatively few optic synapses which are found close to the optic chiasma. In the middle portion of the SCN optic synapses increase in number; they are found not only in the ventral part of the nucleus but also in lateral regions. This becomes particularly obvious in the caudal third of the SCN.