Some characteristics of rat nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuroconnection during development--a combined immunocytochemical and electron-microscopic study.
The characteristics of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuroconnections in developing rats are studied by combined immunocytochemical and electron-microscopic techniques, with an antibody to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). From the embryonic day 21 on, some of the TH-positive nerve fibers are densely packed in the striatum to form a patch-like dopamine island. The percentage of the TH-positive nerve terminals among the labeled profiles is much higher inside than outside the dopamine island (P less than 0.01). On the other hand, the TH-positive terminals mainly form symmetrical axon-dendritic synapses, while most of the TH-negative terminals form asymmetrical axon-spinous synapses. The functional significance of the characterized dopaminergic connection is discussed.
Huang
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Shanghai Brain Research Institute, Academia Sinica, Shanghai, PRC.
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development*; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase