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Comparative distribution of NADPH-diaphorase activity and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the diencephalon and mesencephalon of the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus)

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Abstract

We described the distribution of NADPH-diaphorase-containing neurons in relation to tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the diencephalon and mesencephalon of the chicken. In the diencephalon, both markers were found in the lateral hypothalamus, dorsal hypothalamic area, hypothalamic periventricular nucleus, paraventricular nucleus and mamillary area. A close examination showed that the fine distribution of these markers differed slightly, so that they were never observed in the same neurons. In the mesencephalon, NADPH-diaphorase and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity were found in the ventral pedunculopontine area (nucleus tegmenti pedunculopontinus pars compacta, adjacent areas surrounding the quintofrontal tract and the nucleus mesencephalicus profundus ventralis), the coeruleus complex (locus coeruleus, ventral and dorsal subcoeruleus nuclei), the ventral tegmental area and the central gray. The majority of these neurons contained either diaphorase or tyrosine hydroxylase. Nevertheless, in a few cases both markers appeared to colocalize in the same neuron, typically in large perikarya of the ventral pedunculopontine area.

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Abbreviations

AVT :

Ventral tegmental area of Tsai

DAB :

diaminobenzidine

DHA :

dorsal hypothalamic area

DMA :

anterior dorsomedial thalamic nucleus

DMP :

posterior dorsomedial thalamic nucleus

DSV :

ventral supraoptic decussation

GCt :

central gray

ICH :

intercalated hypothalamic nucleus

IH :

inferior hypothalamic nucleus

LHy :

lateral hypothalamic area

LoC :

locus coeruleus

ML :

lateral mamillary nucleus

MM :

medial mamillary nucleus

MPv :

ventral part of the deep mesencephalic nucleus

nI :

interstitial nucleus of Rendahl

NADPH-d :

NADPH-diaphorase

NGS :

normal

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  1. 1st Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University of Medicine, H-1450, Budapest, Hungary

    Catherine M. Montagnese & András Csillag

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  1. Catherine M. Montagnese
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  2. András Csillag
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Montagnese, C.M., Csillag, A. Comparative distribution of NADPH-diaphorase activity and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the diencephalon and mesencephalon of the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus). Anat Embryol 193, 427–439 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00185874

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