title: Immunofluorescent identification of endogenous neurotransmitter content in Golgi-impregnated neurons.
abstract: A combined Golgi-impregnation/immunocytochemistry procedure was developed to identify the endogenous neurotransmitter content of morphologically characterized neurons. Golgi-impregnated retinal amacrine cells in the lizard Anolis carolinensis were characterized morphologically in thick resin sections. Cells of interest were remounted, resectioned at 1 micron thickness and subjected to a postembedding immunofluorescence procedure to visualize the amino acid neurotransmitters gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or glycine. Double-labeled cells were identified by opaque Golgi deposits in the cytoplasm under bright-field illumination and nuclear immunofluorescence under ultraviolet illumination. Twenty-seven Golgi-impregnated amacrine cells, exhibiting morphological features of GABA-immunoreactive (GABA-IR) cells, were tested for GABA-IR; 21 showed double labeling. Glycine-IR amacrine cells also were identified using the Golgi/immunocytochemistry procedure. This double-labeling procedure allows rapid assessment of endogenous neurotransmitter content in large samples of morphologically characterized neurons.
authors.affiliation: SUNY-Stony Brook, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior 11794-5230.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sherry
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yazulla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005998:Glycine / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008116:Lizards; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D005998:Glycine