[Distribution of substance P and its receptor in the marginal division of rat striatum and its association with the function of learning and memory].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the distribution of the substance P (SP) and its receptor in the marginal division (MrD) of rat striatum and to understand the relationship between SP and the learning and memory function of rats.


METHODS
Using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization techniques, the distribution of SP and its receptor in the MrD was studied, and the relationship between the SP and learning and memory of the MrD was observed by means of SP receptor gene knockout in combination with Y-maze test.


RESULTS
Numerous SP immunopositive fibers and large quantities of SP receptor protein and NK1 mRNA were identified in the MrD of rat striatum. After knockout of the SP receptor gene in the MrD, the ability of learning and memory of the rats was obviously decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
SP and its receptor in the MrD may play important roles in the learning and memory function of rat, possibly through the regulation of the neurotransmitters as 5-HT by SP via NK1 receptor.
Bao
Xin-Min
XM
Institute of Neuroscience, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China.
Shu
Si-Yun
SY
Bao
Rong
R
Zhang
Kui-Hua
KH
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism*; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; D013373:Substance P