Ultrastructure of neuroglial contacts in crayfish stretch receptor

In order to explore neuroglial relationships in a simple nervous system, we have studied the ultrastructure of the crayfish stretch receptor, which consists of only two mechanoreceptor neurons enwrapped by glial cells. The glial envelope comprises 10–30 glial layers separated by collagen sheets. The intercellular space between the neuronal and glial membranes is generally less than 10–15 nm in width. This facilitates diffusion between neurons and glia but restricts neuron communication with the environment. Microtubule bundles passing from the dendrites to the axon through the neuron body limit vesicular transport between the perikaryon and the neuronal membrane. Numerous invaginations into the neuron cytoplasm strengthen glia binding to the neuron and shorten the diffusion pathway between them. Double-membrane vesicles containing fragments of glial, but not neuronal cytoplasm, represent the captured tips of invaginations. Specific triads, viz., “flat submembrane cisterns - vesicles - mitochondria”, are presumably involved in the formation of the invaginations and double-membrane vesicles and in neuroglial exchange. The tubular lattice in the glial cytoplasm might transfer ions and metabolites between the glial layers. The integrity of the neuronal and glial membranes is impaired in some places. However, free neuroglial passage might be prevented or limited by the dense diffuse material accumulated in these regions. Thus, neuroglial exchange with cellular components might be mediated by transmembrane diffusion, especially in the invaginations and submembrane cisterns, by the formation of double-walled vesicles in which large glial masses are captured and by transfer through tubular lattices.