title: GABAA receptor alpha 1-subunit-immunopositive neurons in the rat striatum.
abstract: The morphological characteristics and distribution of striatal neurons expressing the GABAA receptor alpha 1-subunit were investigated following immunolabeling with an alpha 1-subunit-specific antibody. alpha 1-Immunopositive striatal neurons are relatively scarce. Those located in the dorsal striatum are small and have rounded somata and numerous dendrite varicosities. alpha 1-Immunoreactive neurons with these characteristics were likewise observed in the ventral striatum, which also contained large pyramidal neurons with smooth dendrites and polygonal neurons with spiny dendrites. A fourth neuron type (oval neurons with dendrites oriented in bipolar fashion) was found in the lateral striatum. All four neuron types were observed in the rostral, central and caudal striatum. Double-labeling experiments using an antibody specific for DARPP-32 (a cell-level indicator of dopamine D1-like receptors) and the alpha 1 antibody showed a complete lack of colocalization of these two markers in striatal neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela School of Medicine, Galicia, Spain. cmhector@uscmail.usc.es
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Caruncho
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liste
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Labandeira-García
mesh_terms: D000098:Acetophenones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051937:Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000098:Acetophenones; D051937:Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A