title: Dopamine-β-hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity in the fetal cerebral cortex of the rat: Noradrenergic ascending pathways and terminal fields.
abstract: A topographical analysis of the noradrenergic innervation in the fetal rat cerebral cortex was carried out from embryonic day 15 (E15) until birth using antibodies raised against dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH). During late gestation DBH-like immunoreactive axons were coursing through the basal forebrain along three pathways: The first noradrenergic axons were seen at E17 in the frontal pole, the lateral frontal cortex, and in the medial frontal cortex which also receives a dopaminergic input. The innervation then extended caudally, but the dorsal part of the cortex was reached after a 2-day delay when compared to the medial and lateral parts. The arrival of noradrenergic axons did not parallel the gradient of cortical neurogenesis; however, all cortical areas were innervated at birth. DBH positive fibers reached a given cortical region simultaneously through the marginal and intermediate zones and then invaded the cortical plate.
authors.affiliation: Unité INSERM 134, Laboratoire de Neuropathologie Charles Foix, Hôpital Salpêtrière, 75651 Paris cedex 13 France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verney
authors.affiliation: Unité INSERM 134, Laboratoire de Neuropathologie Charles Foix, Hôpital Salpêtrière, 75651 Paris cedex 13 France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Unité INSERM 134, Laboratoire de Neuropathologie Charles Foix, Hôpital Salpêtrière, 75651 Paris cedex 13 France; Laboratoire d'Anatomie, CHU Pitié Salpêtrière, 75634 Paris cedex 13, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baulac
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, PKI, University of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Helle
authors.affiliation: Unité INSERM 134, Laboratoire de Neuropathologie Charles Foix, Hôpital Salpêtrière, 75651 Paris cedex 13 France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarez