Cholinergic neurons expressing substance P receptor (NK(1)) in the basal forebrain of the rat: a double immunocytochemical study.
Cholinergic neurons expressing substance P receptor (SPR, NK(1)) were examined in the rat brain using double immunofluorescence. The distribution of SPR-like immunoreactive (SPR-LI) neurons completely overlapped with that of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-LI neurons in the medial septal nucleus, the nucleus of diagonal band of Broca, the magnocellular preoptic nucleus, the substantia innominata of basal forebrain, the caudate-putamen, and the ventral pallidum of the basal ganglia. In the mesopontine tegmentum and the cranial motor nuclei of the brainstem, the distribution of SPR-LI and ChAT-LI neurons was partially overlapping. Neurons showing both SPR-like and ChAT-like immunoreactivities, however, were predominantly found above basal forebrain regions and 82-90% of these ChAT-LI neurons displayed SPR-like immunoreactivity, in addition to the confirmatory observation that 100% of the ChAT-LI neurons exhibit SPR-like immunoreactivity in the basal ganglia. In contrast, neurons double-labeled for SPR-like and ChAT-like immunoreactivities were hardly detected in aforementioned regions of the brainstem. The present study has provided morphological evidence for direct physiological modulation of cholinergic neurons by tachykinins through substance P receptor in the basal forebrain of the rat.
Chen
L W
LW
Institute of Neuroscience, The Fourth Military Medical University, 710032, Xi'an, PR China. lwchen@pub.xaonline.com
Wei
L C
LC
Liu
H L
HL
Qiu
Y
Y
Chan
Y S
YS
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D020532:Basal Nucleus of Meynert / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002452:Cell Count; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*
D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; D013373:Substance P; D000109:Acetylcholine