Vertically oriented alternating acetylcholinesterase rich and poor territories in laminae VI, VII, VIII of the lumbosacral cord of the rat.
The pharmaco-histochemical method for the demonstration of acetylcholinesterase has been applied to study the spinal cord of the rat. Twenty rats were treated with di-isopropylphosphofluoridate at various time intervals before death and their lumbosacral cord sectioned in either the sagittal, horizontal or transverse plane. Under such conditions, the acetylcholinesterase activity of the neuropile which normally masks many neurons is minimal. The distribution of acetylcholinesterase-containing neurons corresponds to that described previously by various authors, but now the acetylcholinesterase-containing perikarya and their processes may be visualized to a degree not previously attained. This aspect of the technique has allowed us to observe very clearly some features of the internal organization of the spinal cord at the lumbosacral level. The original finding of the present work is the disclosure of alternating bands of dark and light acetylcholinesterase activity at the level of the intermediate grey (laminae VI, VII and VIII) along the rostrocaudal extent of the lumbosacral segments of the rat spinal cord. Dendritic bundling extending over long distances has also been observed at different sites in the ventral horn and in the intermediolateral cell column.
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003712:Dendrites / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007395:Interneurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology*
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase