ScienceAsia 6 (1980): 130-142 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1980.06.130

CYTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF DOPAMINERGIC NEURON CELL BODIES IN THE ARCUATE NUCLEUS

THYON CHENTANEZ^a and JOE G. WOOD^b

Summary: A cytochemical technique for localizing biogenic amine was used to localize dopamine (DA) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (AN). The chromium (Cr) positive granules have a very irregular shape, are located mostly in the side of the neuron cell body that contains the Golgi apparatus. The neurons that possess this type of granule are relatively small and spindle shaped, with dimensions of approximately 30 x 12 microns. The size of dark granules in the cell bodies was decreased by reserpine, increased by Nialamide and significantly increased by L-Dopa or Nialamide plus L-Dopa. Biochemical analysis of DA in the arcuate nucleus shows parallel changes in the concentration in that structure in the same drugs treated animals. It is therefore likely that cells containing chromium-positive granules shown here are dopaminergic neurons of the arcuate nucleus.

Download PDF

a Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Rd., Bangkok, Thailand

b Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas 77025, U.S.A.

Received 16 July 1980