Vesicular acetylcholine transporter in the rat cochlear nucleus: an immunohistochemical study.
After being synthesized in the cytoplasm of axon terminals, acetylcholine is packaged into synaptic vesicles by a proton-dependent transporter, vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT). Localization of VAChT is restricted to cholinergic neurons, especially their terminals. We used an anti-VAChT antibody from INCSTAR to localize cholinergic terminals in the rat cochlear nucleus (CN), an important brainstem auditory center. VAChT immunoreactivity in the rat CN appears as labeled puncta and a few connecting fibers. In ventral CN (VCN), VAChT-labeled puncta are closely associated with somatic profiles of medium to large neurons. In and near the granular regions of VCN, VAChT-labeled puncta are more diffusely scattered. In the subpeduncular corner and the medial sheet, some VAChT-labeled fibers are seen in connection with especially prominent VAChT-labeled puncta. In dorsal CN (DCN), VAChT-labeled puncta show no clear association with somata and are found in all layers. Ultrastructurally, VAChT labeling is seen in the cytoplasm and is associated with synaptic vesicle membrane of terminals with small round vesicles. Such VAChT-labeled terminals synapse with cell bodies and dendrites in the CN.(J Histochem Cytochem 47:83-90, 1998)
Yao
W
W
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, Ohio 43614-5807, USA.
Godfrey
D A
DA
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017626:Cochlear Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C493461:Slc18a3 protein, rat; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; D000109:Acetylcholine