SYNAPTIC IMMUNOLOCALIZATION OF GLYOXYLATE-COMPLEX MOLECULES IN THE STRIATE AREAS OF THE RAT CEREBRAL-CORTEX - LIGHT AND ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC STUDIES

The location of glyoxylate-complex molecules has been investigated in several areas of the rat cerebral cortex using the immunohistochemical peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method, Antibodies against glyoxylate -complex molecules have been developed in the rabbit after immunizatio n with a glyoxylate-bovine serum albumin conjugate, Observations carri ed out with the light microscope demonstrated positive immunostaining at the membrane level of scattered neurons located in all cortical are as, mainly in cortical layer IV. The striate areas (17, 18, 18a) had b oth the greatest number of immunopositive neurons and the most intense ones, At the electron microscopic level, it was observed that in the striate areas an immunopositive reaction was located mainly in the per iphery of synaptic vesicles of some nerve endings, and in both pre- an d postsynaptic membranes of these synaptic structures, The presence of glyoxylic acid and glyoxylate-complex molecules in such areas leads u s to suggest that these substances could play an important role in sel ected synaptic contacts in which some pyramidal and non-pyramidal neur ons are involved. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.