title: A histochemical examination of the metabolic profiles of rat ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra arterioles.
abstract: To determine the metabolic profiles of arterioles of the rat ventral tegmental area and zona compacta and zona reticulata of the substantia nigra (SN), the distribution of selected enzymes, or by-products, of key metabolic pathways were examined histologically. Arterioles of all three regions expressed the enzymes required for aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. However, the relative abundance of the enzymes and byproducts suggests a lower metabolic capacity for the SN than the ventral tegmentum, while lipid catabolism in both regions appears non-operative. Moreover, the larger ventral tegmental arterioles possess a greater potential for nucleic acid and protein synthesis. Together, these results suggest the larger ventral tegmental arterioles possess a greater capacity for proliferation and repair.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000378:metabolism; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000098:blood supply*; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000098:blood supply*
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006003:Glycogen; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D008049:Lipase