title: Ultrastructural localization of acetylcholinesterase in the guinea pig pineal gland.
abstract: The ultrastructural localization of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in guinea pig pineal gland was studied using the copper-glycine procedure. A small number of pinealocytes and bundles of unmyelinated nerve fibers were labeled by the AChE reaction. The AChE-positive pinealocytes were located near blood vessels and distributed in small groups. The AChE reaction product was localized in the perinuclear cistern, in the cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and in the saccules of the Golgi apparatus. These findings suggest that the AChE-positive pinealocytes synthesize AChE. The AChE reaction product was also seen in the intercellular space between pinealocyte processes. Besides pinealocytes, AChE activity was localized on the axolemma of myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers and in the basement membrane surrounding unmyelinated nerve fibers. Pseudocholinesterase activity was confined to Schwann cells, which showed the reaction product in their perinuclear cistern, in the cisternae of the ER, and on the plasmalemma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Loma Linda University, School of Medicine, California 92350.
authors.forename: Z R
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Whitter
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000201:enzymology; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000201:enzymology; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase