La structure de certaines terminaisons nerveuses montre des variations cycliques

Summary

All sensory endings of the trigeminal nerve in the dura mater of the rat are formed by a small swelling, from which continues themetaterminal apparatus, fine filaments at the limit of visibility. Periodically the fine granules at the extremity of the filaments swell, whereas the fibrils themselves disappear, leaving a small, round, argentophil mass. Later the filaments reappear, then redeposit their debris, which persists for a time.

Thus the metaterminal apparatus manifests cyclic variations, which recall the transitory existence of collaterals observed duringin vivo orin vitro development of nerve fibres.