Summary
In cortical areas of the lizard, Podarcis hispanica, Timm staining reveals a distinct pattern of lamination. At the electron-microscope level, virtually all of the reaction product is located in the synaptic vesicles of Timm-positive boutons. Using linear-regression analysis, the area density of Timm-positive bouton profiles as well as the numerical and volume density of stained vesicles were found to be closely correlated with the light-microscopic densitometric values obtained for each Timm-positive cortical zone. We discuss the possibility of estimating stereological electron-microscopic data parameters from densitometric measurements at the light-microscope level.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baudhuin P (1968) L'Analyse morphologique quantitative de fractions subcellulaires. These d'agrégation. Université Catholique, Louvain
Cruz-Orive LM (1978) Particle size-shape distributions: the general spheroid problem. II. Stochastic model and practical guide. J Microsc 112:153
Danscher G (1984a) Do the Timm sulphide silver method and the selenium method demonstrate zinc in the brain? In: Frederickson CJ, Howell GA, Kasarskis EJ (eds) The neurobiology of zinc, Part A. Alan R Liss, New York, pp 273–287
Danscher G (1984b) Dynamic changes in the stainability of rat hippocampal mossy fiber boutons after local injection of sodium sulphide, sodium selenite, and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate. In: Frederickson CJ, Howell GA, Kasarskis EJ (eds) The neurobiology of zinc, Part B. Alan R Liss, New York, pp 177–191
Danscher G, Zimmer J (1978) An improved Timm sulphide silver method for light and electron microscopic localization of heavy metals in biological tissues. Histochemistry 55:27–40
Garcia-Verdugo JM, Berbel P, Lopez-Garcia C (1981) A Golgi and electron microscope study of the ependymal cells of the cerebral cortex of the lizard Lacerta galloti. Trab Inst Cajal Invest Biol 72:269–278
Haug FMS (1967) Electron microscopical localization of the zinc in hippocampal mossy fiber synapses by a modified sulphide silver procedure. Histochemie 8:355–368
Kozma M, Ferke A, Kasa P (1978) Ultrastructural identification of neural elements containing trace metals. Acta Histochem 62:142–154
Lopez-Garcia C, Molowny A, Perez-Clausell J (1983a) Volumetric and densitometric study in the cerebral cortex and septum of a lizard (Lacerta galloti) using the Timm method. Neurosci Lett 40:13–18
Lopez-Garcia C, Soriano E, Molowny A, Garcia-Verdugo JM, Berbel P, Regidor J (1983b) The Timm positive system of axonic terminals of the cerebral cortex of Lacerta. In: Grisolía S, Guerri C, Samson F, Norton S, Reinoso-Suárez F (eds) Ramón y Cajal's contribution to the neurosciences. Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, pp 137–148
Lopez-Garcia C, Molowny A, Perez-Clausell J, Martinez-Guijarro FJ (1984) A sulphide-osmium procedure for detection of metalcontaining synaptic boutons in the lizard cerebral cortex. J Neurosci Methods 11:211–220
Martinez-Guijarro FJ (1985) Organizacion de las areas dorsomedial y dorsal de la corteza cerebral de Podarcis hispanica (Steindachner 1870). Doctoral Thesis, Universidad de Valencia, Spain
Martinez-Guijarro FJ, Berbel PJ, Molowny A, Lopez-Garcia C (1984) Apical dendritic spines and axonic terminals in the bipyramidal neurons of the dorsomedial cortex of lizards (Lacerta). Anat Embryol 170:321–326
Molowny A (1980) Estudio de la corteza cerebral de Lacerta y otros reptiles con la técnica de Timm. Doctoral Thesis. Universidad de La Laguna (Tenerife), Spain
Molowny A, Lopez-Garcia C (1978) Estudio citoarquitectónico de la corteza cerebral de reptiles. III: Localización histoquímica de metales pesados y definición de subregiones Timm positivas en la corteza cerebral de Lacerta, Chalcides, Tarentola y Malpolon. Trab Inst Cajal Invest Biol 70:55–74
Perez-Clausell J, Danscher G (1985) Intravesicular localization of zinc in rat telencephalic boutons. A histochemical study. Brain Res 336:91–99
Szerdahelyi P, Kasa P (1985) Demonstration of reduced levels of zinc in rat brain after treatment with d-amphetamine, but not after treatment with reserpine. Histochemistry 83:181–187
Weibel ER (1979) Stereological methods. Vol 1: Practical methods for biological morphometry. Academic Press, London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Martinez-Guijarro, F.J., Molowny, A. & Lopez-Garcia, C. Timm-staining intensity is correlated with the density of Timm-positive presynaptic structures in the cerebral cortex of lizards. Histochemistry 86, 315–319 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00490265
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00490265