The Mind of 
	a Worm

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ALN ALN

Members: ALNL, ALNR; PLNL, PLNR.

ALN and PLN are two sets of neurons with cell bodies situated in the lumbar ganglion (e, f, g). All four send processes anteriorly, which eventually enter the nerve ring; they also have posteriorly directed processes that run into the tailspike. The processes of ALN run laterally and become closely associated with those of ALM in the anterior half of the animal (d). They then enter the nerve ring sub-dorsally and run ventrally round the ring for a short distance. The processes from PLN are closely associated with those of PLM in the posterior half of the animal, although the association is not as striking as that of ALN with ALM. The processes of PLN join the ventral sub-lateral cords in the anterior of the animal and from there enter the ventral cord via the amphidial commissures. The processes of PLN then enter the nerve ring and run dorsally for a short distance. The main synaptic outputs of both ALN and PLN are dyadic synapses to SMB and SAA (a, b) and a few synapses to SMD (c). Magnifications: (a, b, d) x 25500, (c) x 12750.


Web adaptation, Thomas Boulin, for Wormatlas, 2001, 2002. Updated by Laura A. Herndon, 2014.

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ALN ALN ALN ALN