White et al. 1986

The Structure of the Nervous System of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

J.G. White, E. Southgate, J.N. Thomson and S. Brenner, F.R.S.

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B3141–340
Published 12 November 1986

Datasets incorporated

• White_A (N2U)
• White_L4 (JSH)
• White_whole

Type of Connectomics Data

• Anatomical connectome: chemical synapses; electrical gap junctions.

Summary

• Reconstructed the first connectome of the adult hermaphrodite C.elegans via electron microscopy.
• Consolidated the naming scheme of the 302 neurons.
• Established the criteria for identifying chemical synapses and gap junctions from electron microscope reconstructions.

Reliability of data

1. Human error: when following long featureless process bundles, could result in switch between processes.
2. Many processes run close to plane of sectioning, resulting in images with indistinct objects leading to problems in identification.
3. Similar errors of process identification in area of poor image quality caused by dirt or loss of sections on grid bars.