title: Dopamine and melanin-concentrating hormone neurons are distinct populations in the rat rostromedial zona incerta.
abstract: Zona incerta (ZI) is a controversial diencephalic area with a variety of cytoarchitectonic subdivisions, neurotransmitters and related functions. Medial ZI synthesizes dopamine (A13 group) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, a catecholamine synthesizing enzyme), which has been considered a neurochemical marker for this region. The rostromedial ZI also expresses melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), but it is not known whether dopamine and MCH are colocalized. By using double label immunohistochemistry we analyzed the distribution of TH and MCH in the rat ZI. We found that MCH and TH neurons are intermingled but are not colocalized.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciane V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Sita
authors.forename: Carol F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: Jackson C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis*; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis*; D008547:Melanophores / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry*; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020530:Subthalamus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones; D008543:Melanins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; C019463:melanin-concentrating hormone; D004298:Dopamine