PATTERNS OF TRANSMITTER LABELING AND CONNECTIVITY OF THE CATS NUCLEUSOF DARKSCHEWITSCH - A WHEAT-GERM AGGLUTININ-HORSERADISH PEROXIDASE AND IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL STUDY AT LIGHT AND ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC LEVELS
S. Onodera et Tp. Hicks, PATTERNS OF TRANSMITTER LABELING AND CONNECTIVITY OF THE CATS NUCLEUSOF DARKSCHEWITSCH - A WHEAT-GERM AGGLUTININ-HORSERADISH PEROXIDASE AND IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL STUDY AT LIGHT AND ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC LEVELS, Journal of comparative neurology, 361(4), 1995, pp. 553-573
Immunocytochemical studies using antibodies raised against a number of
probable synaptic transmitters of the mesodiencephalic area, and fibr
e-tracing studies using wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (
WGA-HRP), have been performed in adult cats. Glutamate and aspartate i
mmunoreactivity produced a strong labelling of many cell bodies and te
rminals in the nucleus of Darkschewitsch (ND). gamma-Aminobutyrate (GA
BA) immunoreactivity in the ND appeared as a moderate label in some sm
all neurones, and as a strong label in a few glial-like cells, in addi
tion to being present in high levels to produce strong labelling in ma
ny GABA-immunopositive terminals that possessed pleomorphic vesicles.
Some choline acetyltransferase-positive terminals and dendrites and a
few substance P-positive fine fibres possessing varicosities also were
observed in the ND. Following WGA-HRP injection in the ND, dense term
inal labelling was seen ipsilaterally in the rostral half of the media
l accessory olive, suggesting that there may be a certain degree of me
diolateral and dorsoventral topographic correspondance within the ND-o
live projection. In the same cases, many cell bodies containing HRP re
action product also were found 1) ipsilaterally in the motor cortex, a
nterior pretectal nucleus, and a restricted area of the caudal part of
the substantia nigra pars reticulata; 2) contralaterally in the anter
ior and posterior interposed cerebellar nuclei as well as in a portion
of the lateral cerebellar nucleus; and 3) bilaterally in the zona inc
erta, the posterior pretectal nucleus, the pedunculopontine tegmental
nuclei, the spinal trigeminal nucleus, the dorsal column nuclei, and t
he spinal cord. Details of the interrelationships and functional consi
derations amongst the ND, adjacent nuclei, and longitudinal zones of t
he cerebellum are discussed. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.