title: Existence of L-dopa immunoreactive neurons in the rat preoptic area and anterior hypothalamus.
abstract: We demonstrate the presence of L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine)-labelled cell bodies and fibers in the rat preoptic and anterior hypothalamic areas, using a rabbit polyclonal antiserum against conjugated L-DOPA and a glutaraldehyde coupled immunohistochemical technique. In contrast, using a monoclonal anti conjugated dopamine (DA) antibody, no DA labelled neurons were detectable in the preoptic region, whereas a few weakly immunostained DA neurons began to appear in the ventral part of the medial preoptic area. These observations point to the hypothesis that these cells contain mainly L-DOPA neurons in the preoptic and anterior hypothalamic areas. Thus, we suggest that L-DOPA plays a more important role in the hypothalamic functions than has been hitherto assumed.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Lab., IBCN-CNRS, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mons
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tison
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geffard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000276:immunology; D007032:Hypothalamus, Anterior / Q000032:analysis* / Q000166:cytology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007980:Levodopa / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000032:analysis*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000032:analysis* / Q000166:cytology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007980:Levodopa; D004298:Dopamine