Do tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in the ventrolateral arcuate nucleus produce dopamine or only L-dopa?
Dopamine (DA) was early demonstrated in the arcuate nucleus by means of the formaldehyde-induced histofluorescence method. In the present study we have investigated the distribution of cell bodies in the arcuate nucleus with antisera against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and DA. The results indicate that TH-immunoreactive cells in the dorsomedial part of the arcuate nucleus also contain immunoreactivity for both AADC and DA. However, TH-positive cells in the ventrolateral arcuate nucleus lacked AADC- and DA-immunoreactivity with the sensitivity of the present methods. The findings raise the question whether the ventrolateral cells synthesize L-DOPA or DA as endproducts.
Meister
B
B
Department of Histology and Neurobiology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Hökfelt
T
T
Steinbusch
H W
HW
Skagerberg
G
G
Lindvall
O
O
Geffard
M
M
Joh
T H
TH
Cuello
A C
AC
Goldstein
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases / Q000032:analysis; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis*
D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases; D004298:Dopamine