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Acetylcholinesterase activity of Renshaw elements and Renshaw bulbs. A light- and electron-histochemical study

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Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

Renshaw elements, representing the structural basis of spinal recurrent inhibition, consist of bulbous dilatations of the dendrites of Renshaw cells. These dendritic bulbs are surrounded by terminals derived from initial axon collaterals of motoneurons. The axon terminals display intense acetylcholinesterase activity. Light-microscopic histochemistry reveals the convergence of numerous acetylcholinesterase-positive axons on every Renshaw bulb. Electron histochemistry suggests that the central ‘core’ of the Renshaw element is in effect, a bulbous dendritic dilatation. Acetylcholinesterase activity is confined to surface membranes of terminal axons.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, University Medical School, Szeged, Hungary

    B. Csillik, L. Tóth & Sarolta Karcsu

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  1. B. Csillik
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  2. L. Tóth
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  3. Sarolta Karcsu
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Csillik, B., Tóth, L. & Karcsu, S. Acetylcholinesterase activity of Renshaw elements and Renshaw bulbs. A light- and electron-histochemical study. J Neurocytol 2, 441–455 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01103800

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01103800

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