title: Subpopulations of neurons in the rat neostriatum display GABABR1 receptor immunoreactivity.
abstract: Immunoreactivity for gamma aminobutyric acid BR1 receptor (GABABR1) was detected in the neuropilar elements as well as in the perikarya of neurons in the neostriatum. Many of the GABABR1-immunoreactive perikarya were medium-sized with a thin rim of cytoplasm. They resembled the morphology of medium spiny neurons, the projection neurons of the neostriatum. In addition, some GABABR1-immunoreactive neurons were densely labeled and were of medium to large in size. These neurons were characterized by double immunofluorescence using their neurochemicals as markers. Over 90% of the parvalbumin- and choline acetyltransferase-immunoreactive neurons and about 80% of the nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive neurons displayed GABABR1 immunoreactivity. The present results show for the first time that the major four subpopulations of striatal neurons express GABABR1 receptor and may have a functional implication in the GABA neurotransmission in the microcircuitry of the neostriatum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China. kklyung@hkbu.edu.hk
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007395:Interneurons / Q000737:chemistry; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010320:Parvalbumins; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase