Light- and electron-microscopic visualization of gamma-aminobutyric acid and GABA-transaminase in the oviduct of rats. Predominant occurrence in epithelium.
The distribution in the rat oviduct of gamma-aminobutyric acid and its catabolic enzyme GABA-transaminase was studied by the use of immunocytochemical and enzyme-histochemical techniques. At the light-microscopic level, both GABA immunoreactivity and GABA-transaminase enzyme reactivity were found primarily in the tubal epithelium while in the muscle layers of the organ only a faint GABA and GABA-transaminase positive staining could be detected. Electron-microscopic evaluation of the GABA immunoreactivity revealed a heavy labelling of the basal bodies (kinetosomes) and a moderate staining of the cilia. These findings indicate that the role of GABA in the oviduct is not related to neurotransmission but may be related to ciliary functions.
D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase