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Ultrastructural organization of GABA-like immunoreactive profiles in the weaver substantia nigra

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Journal of Neurocytology

Abstract

GABA-like immunoreactivity (GABA-LI) in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of mutant weaver mice was investigated at the electron microscope level. Eight-week-old homozygous mutant weaver mice, paired with wildtype littermates as controls, were perfused with a buffered paraformadehyde/acrolein solution. Sections containing the SN were immunocytochemically reacted with an antiserum to GABA using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) procedure. Ultrastructural examination revealed that profiles of GABA-LI dendrites were decreased in number while profiles of labeled axonal processes were increased. In addition, there were an increased number of GABA-LI terminals in contact with similarly labeled GABA-LI dendrites. Double-labeling experiments using the antibodies to GABA and dopamine D2 receptors showed that a small number of GABA-LI profiles exhibited D2-like immunoreactivity in both controls and weavers.

These results suggest that the GABA-LI synaptic connections are altered as a result of the loss of DA neurons in the SNc of the weaver mice.

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  1. Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, LSU Medical School—New Orleans, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Diane E. Smith

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Penn State Children's Hospital, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA

    Shu-Guang Xu

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Correspondence to Diane E. Smith.

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Smith, D.E., Xu, SG. Ultrastructural organization of GABA-like immunoreactive profiles in the weaver substantia nigra. J Neurocytol 32, 293–303 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NEUR.0000010087.39779.f2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NEUR.0000010087.39779.f2

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