Fine structure of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body of the bat with special reference to two types of synaptic endings

The medial nucleus of the trapezoid body has been studied electron microscopically in two species of bat, Miniopterus schreibersi fuliginosus and Vespertilio superans, which were perfused with three different kinds of fixatives, osmium tetroxide, glutaraldehyde, and formaldehyde. Two types of synaptic endings are observed in the nucleus: the abundant calyciferous endings and the less frequently occurring "small-vesicle endings." The former endings vary greatly in size, and contain extended extracellular spaces between pre- and post-synaptic membranes. The latter endings are always small, without the extended extracellular spaces, and tend to lie side by side. In all of the materials perfused with three different fixatives, synaptic vesicles in the calyciferous endings are round in shape and larger than those in the small-vesicle endings. The shape of vesicles in the small-vesicle endings varies according to the kinds of fixatives used; round in osmium tetroxide-fixed materials, flattened in formaldehyde-fixed materials, and somewhat round or flattened in glutaraldehyde-fixed materials. It is suggested that the calyciferous endings are excitatory in nature and that the small-vesicle endings are inhibitory.