Tyrosine-hydroxylase immunoreactive cells in the rat striatum following treatment with MPP+

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2000:483:369-74. doi: 10.1007/0-306-46838-7_41.

Abstract

Tyrosine Hydroxylase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of dopamine, and as such, it is widely used as a marker of dopaminergic cells. Within the basal ganglia, the dopaminergic cells are located in the substantia nigra pars compacta, and project to the striatum. It is this pathway which degenerates during Parkinson's disease. The data presented here illustrate examples of tyrosine-hydroxylase immunoreactive cells in striatum following intrastriatal injection with the neurotoxin MPP+. We further show by electron microscopy that these cells are, in fact, neurons and that they possess ultrastructural features of interneurons.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects*
  • Corpus Striatum / enzymology
  • Corpus Striatum / ultrastructure
  • Dopamine / biosynthesis
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / enzymology
  • Neurotoxins / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Neurotoxins
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium
  • Dopamine