FORMATION OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CULTURED IDENTIFIED NEURONS FROM THEPLEURAL GANGLION OF THE PTEROPOD MOLLUSK CLIONE-LIMACINA

A cluster of electrically interconnected neurosecretory cells (the 'wh ite cells') involved in the control of reproductive behavior was ident ified in the right pleural ganglion of the marine mollusc, Clione lima cina. Pleural ganglia also contain large neurons (PL1 and PL2) having no connections with each other and with the white cells. Most isolated white cells put into the simple unconditioned medium (50% L-15) adher ed to the bottom of uncoated dishes and demonstrated neurite outgrowth for 7-10 days. If growing processes overlapped, the white cells forme d electrical connections with each other, but they formed no connectio ns with the PL1 and PL2 neurons. It is concluded that in the case whic h was under study cellular intrinsic properties were sufficient for th e formation of 'correct' connections between neurones.