STRUCTURE OF THE SYNAPTIC JUNCTIONS IN THE RAT SENSORIMOTOR CORTEX - FREEZE-ETCHING STUDY OF NEURONAL GAP-JUNCTIONS

The membrane structure of neuronal gap junctions in the rat sensorimot or cortex was examined using freeze-etched replicas. The gap junction coupling was found between large, probably non-pyramidal neurons and d endrites, and was mostly associated with membrane specializations indi cative of the contact zone of an asymmetric synapse or a puncta adhaer entia. The validity of freeze-etching method of identification and ana lysis of neuronal gap junctions as a feature of the synaptic organizat ion in the rat sensorimotor cortex is discussed.