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Light and electron microscopic immunohistochemical localization of N‐acetylaspartylglutamate NAAG in the olivocerebellar pathway of the rat
Author(s) -
Renno Waleed M.,
Lee JangHern,
Beitz Alvin J.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
synapse
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.809
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1098-2396
pISSN - 0887-4476
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2396(199706)26:2<140::aid-syn5>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - immunohistochemistry , neuroscience , chemistry , computer science , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , immunology
The inferior olive (IO) is the sole contributor of climbing fibers (CF) to the Purkinje cells of the cerebellar cortex. Although the anatomy and the connectivity between the IO and the cerebellum have been well established, there is still controversy regarding the neurotransmitter systems mediating olivocerebellar projections. The excitatory amino acids, glutamate (Glu) and aspartate (Asp), have both been considered as neurotransmitter candidates of olivocerebellar projections in the rat. More recently N‐acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) has also been proposed as a transmitter of cerebellar climbing fibers based on biochemical and electrophysiological data. The aim of the present study was to determine whether NAAG immunoreactivity is present in the IO and CF at the light and electron microscopic levels and to quantitate the amount of immunogold labeling in olivary neurons and climbing fiber terminals containing this dipeptide. A polyclonal antisera against NAAG was utilized with a peroxidase‐labeled avidin‐biotin procedure to demonstrate these immunoreactive neurons in the IO at the light microscopic level. Approximately 45% of olivary neurons display NAAG‐like immunoreactivity, and their distribution is unevenly clustered throughout the inferior olive. Using postembedding immunogold electron microscopy in combination with quantitative procedures, we found the highest densities of gold particles in the axonal terminals synapsing on olivary neurons (101.0 particles/μm 2 ), in CF terminals (96.3 particles/μm 2 ), and in some mossy fiber terminals (101.0 particles/μm 2 ). Approximately half of the climbing fiber terminals examined were unlabeled. Moderate labeling occurred in CF axons (70.8 particles/μm 2 ), while IO neuronal perikarya were lightly but significantly labeled (41.6 particles/μm 2 ). The localization of NAAG in the subset of cerebellar climbing fiber terminals provides anatomical support for the hypothesis that NAAG may serve as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator candidate in the olivocerebellar pathway. Synapse 26:140–154, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.