Coexistence of glutamate and choline acetyltransferase in a major subpopulation of laryngeal motoneurons of the rat.
Glutamate immunoreactivity was found in 88% of the laryngeal motoneurons which were located in the ambiguus nucleus and the retrofacial nucleus. The glutamate-containing laryngeal motoneurons were identified by double labeling using the retrograde tracing of True blue from the cut end of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and immunocytochemistry of glutamate. On the other hand, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity was found in all the laryngeal motoneurons which were similarly identified as the origin of the recurrent laryngeal nerve using retrograde tracing of True blue. Since glutamate coexists richly with ChAT in a major subpopulation of laryngeal motoneurons, it is probable that glutamate may play a role as a co-transmitter in the cholinergic motoneurons.
Department of Physiology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
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Saji
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Miura
D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007823:Laryngeal Nerves / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D001572:Benzofurans; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005971:Glutamates; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C038675:true blue; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase