Figure 2.

α6* nAChR expression in catecholamine-producing neurons. A. α6* nAChR expression in ventral midbrain DA neurons. Coronal sections (bregma −3.5 mm) were prepared from α6-GFP transgenic mice, followed by dual staining with anti-GFP and anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) antibodies to label DA neurons. Sections were imaged with laser-scanning confocal microscopy, and fluorescence from both channels (green: anti-GFP; red: anti-TH) were merged to indicate co-expression of α6* nAChRs within TH(+) neurons. B. α6* nAChR expression in locus coeruleus (LC) norepinephrine (NE) neurons. Coronal sections (bregma −5.52 mm) from α6-GFP transgenic mice containing LC were prepared and double-stained as described in A. C, D. α6* nAChR expression in DA axons. Sagittal sections (lateral 0.96 mm) containing medial forebrain bundle DA axons were prepared from α6-GFP transgenic mice (C) and non-transgenic control mice (D). Sections were stained for GFP and TH as in A and B. GFP and TH channels were merged, and yellow indicates α6-GFP staining within TH(+) DA axons. E, F. α6* nAChR expression in DA terminals in striatum. Coronal sections (Bregma +0.14 mm) from α6-GFP transgenic mice (E) and non-transgenic control mice (F) containing dorsal striatum were prepared, stained for GFP and TH, and imaged as above. Yellow indicatesα6-GFP staining within TH(+) DA terminals.