Abstract
Improvements in the method for localization of dopamine-β-hydroxylase by immunofluorescence allow the observation of noradrenergic-cell bodies, non-terminal fibers, and axon terminals in the rat brain. The distribution of the hydroxylase correlated well with the results obtained by localization of norepinephrine. Dopamine-β-hydroxylase was not observed in dopaminergic neurons or terminals, indicating that these cells do not have the capacity to synthesize norepinephrine. The use of the hydroxylase as a marker, however, has made it possible to visualize noradrenergic nerve terminals on small arteries in the brain parenchyma that have not been described by catecholamine-fluorescence histochemistry. The source of the terminals on small arteries appears to be central noradrenergic neurons rather than the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. Dopamine-β-hydroxylase generally was not observed in the large arteries of the brain parenchyma. These observations suggest that cerebral microcirculation is regulated by central noradrenergic neurons.
Keywords: immunofluorescence, microcirculation, norepinephrine
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Björklund A., Stenevi U. Growth of central catecholamine neurones into smooth muscle grafts in the rat mesencephalon. Brain Res. 1971 Aug 7;31(1):1–20. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(71)90630-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FALCK B., HILLARP N. A. On the cellular localization of catechol amines in the brain. Acta Anat (Basel) 1959;38:277–279. doi: 10.1159/000141530. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FUXE K. EVIDENCE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF MONOAMINE NEURONS IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. IV. DISTRIBUTION OF MONOAMINE NERVE TERMINALS IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1965:SUPPL 247–247:37+. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fuxe K., Goldstein M., Hökfelt T., Joh T. H. Immunohistochemical localization of dopamine- -hydroxylase in the peripheral and central nervous system. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1970 Sep;1(5):627–636. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Geffen L. B., Livett B. G., Rush R. A. Immunohistochemical localizatio of protein components of catecholamine storage vesicles. J Physiol. 1969 Oct;204(3):593–605. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008934. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Goldstein M., Fuxe K., Hökfelt T., Joh T. H. Immunohistochemical studies on phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, dopa-decarboxylase and dopamine- -hydroxylase. Experientia. 1971 Aug;27(8):951–952. doi: 10.1007/BF02135767. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hartman B. K., Udenfriend S. Immunofluorescent localization of dopamine beta-hydroxylase in tissues. Mol Pharmacol. 1970 Jan;6(1):85–94. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hartman B. K., Udenfriend S. The application of immunological techniques to the study of enzymes regulating catecholamine synthesis and degradation. Pharmacol Rev. 1972 Jun;24(2):311–330. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nielsen K. C., Owman C. Adrenergic innervation of pial arteries related to the circle of Willis in the cat. Brain Res. 1967 Dec;6(4):773–776. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(67)90134-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rosendorff C. The measurement of local cerebral blood flow and the effect of amines. Prog Brain Res. 1972;35:115–156. doi: 10.1016/S0079-6123(08)60091-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shalit M. N., Reinmuth O. M., Shimojyo S., Scheinberg P. Carbon dioxide and cerebral circulatory control. 3. The effects of brain stem lesions. Arch Neurol. 1967 Oct;17(4):342–353. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1967.00470280008002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ungerstedt U. Stereotaxic mapping of the monoamine pathways in the rat brain. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1971;367:1–48. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-201x.1971.tb10998.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]