Glutamic acid decarboxylase-like immunoreactive axon terminals in synaptic contact with mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus neurons in the rat.
The purpose of the present study was to obtain reliable evidence for the presence of gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) synapses upon mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MTN) neurons in the rat. For confocal laser-scanning microscopy, phosphate-activated glutaminase-like immunoreactivity (-IR) of MTN neurons was visualized with red fluorescence of Texas Red, while glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)-IR of GABA axons was visualized with green fluorescence of dichlorotriazinyl aminofluorescein. Many GAD-axon terminals were in close apposition to the cell bodies of MTN neurons. For electron microscopy, MTN neurons were labeled with wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase injected into the masseter nerve, while axon terminals were labeled with GAD-IR. GAD-axon terminals were in symmetric synaptic contact with the cell bodies of MTN neurons. Primary proprioceptive neurons in the orofacial regions might be regulated post-synaptically by GABA neurons.
Chen
P
P
Department of Anatomy and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, 710032, People's Republic of, Xi'an, China.
Li
J
J
Li
J
J
Mizuno
N
N
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014278:Trigeminal Nuclei / Q000166:cytology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis
D000906:Antibodies; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase