Ultrastructural evidence of direct synaptic contact of catecholamine terminals with oxytocin-containing neurons in the parvocellular portion of the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.
Ultrastructural evidence of the direct interaction between catecholamine (CA) terminals and oxytocin (OX)-containing neurons in the parvocellular portion of the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus was demonstrated using immunohistochemistry combined with false transmitter (5-hydroxydopamine, 5-OHDA) histochemistry. At the parvocellular portion, 5-OHDA labelled CA terminals make synaptic contact with proximal dendrites or somas of OX-positive cells, suggesting that the ascending CA system monosynaptically regulates the extrahypothalamic OX system.
D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000378:metabolism; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism*; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure
D002395:Catecholamines; D006892:Hydroxydopamines; C027802:5-hydroxydopamine; D010121:Oxytocin