Ultrastructural localization of tyrosine hydroxylase in rat nucleus accumbens. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Immunocytochemical localization of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was used to determine the ultrastructural morphology and synaptic associations of catecholaminergic terminals in the nucleus accumbens of the rat. The brains were fixed by vascular perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde and 0.2% glutaraldehyde. Coronal sections cut with a vibrating microtome were incubated with rabbit antiserum to TH then immunocytochemically labeled by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Immunoreactivity for the enzyme was found within unmyelinated axons and axon terminals. These terminals contained either all small clear or combined small clear and large dense core vesicles. Approximately 40% of the labeled terminals formed symmetric synapses with unlabeled proximal or distal dendritic shafts. The dendrites showed a spare distribution of spines. Axosomatic synapses and axonal associations of the TH-containing terminals also were detected. The recipient perikarya were usually 10-20 micrometers in diameter and contained an indented nucleus and abundant cytoplasm. The content of large dense vesicles and synaptic associations with somata and proximal dendrites suggest that a certain proportion of the TH-containing terminals within the nucleus accumbens are morphologically distinct from catecholaminergic terminals within the dorsal striatum. These differences are discussed in relation to neuropeptides and functions of the dopaminergic mesolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways.

publication date

  • July 20, 1984

Research

keywords

  • Nucleus Accumbens
  • Septal Nuclei
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0021245642

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1002/cne.902270110

PubMed ID

  • 6147361

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 227

issue

  • 1