ADL is a set of two neurons that have dual ciliated endings in the
amphid sensillum. The
endings are in the amphid channel, which is open to the outside
(figure 1). Cell bodies are
situated in the dorsal regions or the lateral ganglia and have
processes that enter the nerve ring
laterally, unlike the other amphid neurons, which enter the ventral
cord via the amphidial
commissures. The processes split as they enter the nerve ring and one
process runs dorsally
round to the mid-line on the posterior face of the nerve ring, where
it meets its contralateral partner and terminates with a gap junction
(b). The other process runs ventrally and
eventually peters out in the ventral ganglion. The general
disposition of the processes in the nerve ring is much like those of
the other amphid neurons (such as ASK, alongside which it
runs for much of its length) yet the route from the cell body is
completely different. The
processes are large; they run in close association with those of AIB
and are filled with vesicles,
many of which are dark-cored (a). The processes are predominantly
presynaptic, synapsing
mainly onto AIA (a) and AIB (c) and to a lesser extent onto AVD, AVB
and AVA (d). There
are gap junctions to OLQ and RMG.
Magnifications: (a) x 25500, (b-d) x 12750.
Web adaptation, Thomas Boulin,
for Wormatlas, 2001, 2002
