Immunohistochemical demonstration of serotonin-containing nerve fibers in the cerebellum.
The localization of serotonin (5-HT)-immunoreactive nerve fibers in the cerebellum of the rat and cat was investigated by means of the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase (PAP) method using highly specific antibodies to 5-HT. Serotonin-containing nerve fibers were distributed throughout the entire cerebellum including the deep cerebellar nuclei, while 5-HT-positive neuronal somata were not detected in the cerebellum of either species. A different pattern of 5-HT innervation was found among the three layers of the cerebellar cortex. There were also interspecific differences in the pattern of distribution of 5-HT. In the rat, the pool of 5-HT nerve fibers mainly consisted of tangential elements, which were predominant in the molecular layer, while in the cat only a few 5-HT fibers were found in the molecular layer of the cerebellar cortex; dense networks of 5-HT nerve fibers were present in the granular layer. Some differences are evident in the pattern of distribution of 5-HT fibers in cerebellar regions classified on an anatomical and functional basis.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D002529:Cerebellar Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
D012701:Serotonin