M. Beltramo et al., AROMATIC AMINO-ACID DECARBOXYLASE (AADC) IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY IN VERTEBRATE BRAIN-STEM WITH AN ANTISERUM RAISED AGAINST AADC MADE IN ESCHERICHIA-COLI, Brain research bulletin, 32(2), 1993, pp. 123-132
Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) is involved in the biosynth
esis of catecholamines and indolamines. AADC is present in the nervous
system, in the chromaffin cells, and in non-neuronal tissues. We test
ed the capacity of a new polyclonal antibody, obtained by immunization
of rabbits with a recombinant protein beta-galactosidase-AADC, to det
ect monoaminergic neurons in the brainstem as well as monoaminergic pa
raneurons in the adrenal medulla from goldfish, frog, skink, quail, an
d mouse. In the adrenal gland we found an immunoreactivity that was co
nsistent with the distributions of the chromaffin cells previously rep
orted. In the brainstem, groups of immunoreactive neurons and several
labelled fibers were observed in the five species studied. The raphe r
egion showed cell bodies and processes similar to those previously ide
ntified as monoaminergic by other authors. In addition, in medulla obl
ongata and isthmic tegmentum we found, in goldfish, skink, and quail,
neuronal groups similar to mammalian D groups which contain AADC but a
re devoided of serotonin and catecholamines.