Simultaneous fixation and production of catecholamine fluorescence in central nervous tissue by perfusion with aldehydes.
Perfusion with a mixture of formaldehyde (4%) and glutaraldehyde (0.5%) is shown both to fix central nervous tissue and to produce, with no further treatment, a fluorescence histochemical localization of catecholamines. After perfusion, serial sections can be readily taken through the whole brain with a Vibratome. Landmarks which are apparent at low power with white-light illumination can be seen when the sections are viewed in the fluorescence microscope. Catecholamine-containing nerve cell bodies, varicose axon terminals and non-varicose nerve fibres appear brightly fluorescent and well localized. The method has been applied to rats, guinea-pigs and rabbits and is ideally suited to the accurate mapping of central catecholamine neurons and their processes.
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000032:analysis*; D005557:Formaldehyde; D005976:Glutaral; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010477:Perfusion
D002395:Catecholamines; D005557:Formaldehyde; D005976:Glutaral