Telodendrial contact of HRP-filled photoreceptors in the turtle retina: pathways of photoreceptor coupling

Synaptic contacts of photoreceptors in the turtle retina were studied by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and electron microscopy. Both cone and rod photoreceptors radiated basal processes (telodendria) from their terminal endings. These telodendria ran laterally in the outer plexiform layer. The telodendria of cones gave rise to many fine branches that penetrated synaptic cavities of several neighboring cones. Tips of these branches terminated near the walls of synaptic cavities. Some of the telodendrial contact formed two types of basal junction: symmetrical and punctate. The distribution of cones that made telodendrial contacts with the HRP-filled cone were quantitatively investigated. Green-sensitive cones (n = 3) made telodendrial contacts with neighboring red- and blue-sensitive cones, blue-sensitive cones (n = 4) with red- and green-sensitive cones, and red-sensitive cones (n = 9) with red- and green-sensitive cones. In contrast to these cone connections, rod telodendria did not penetrate neighboring photoreceptors. Direct synaptic contacts were not found between rods and cones. Our results clarify the variety of cone couplings in turtle retina: the three chromatic classes of cones are selectively coupled by the basal junctions at the ends of telodendrial processes.