• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.355-365
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• 2001

This study was performed to investigate the distribution and differentiation on the immunoreacted cells of the ChAT (choline acetyltransferase) at the Meynert basal nucleus of the forebrains in the growth periods of rat, using the immunohistochemistric method. According to the cell shape and the ratio of long axis vs short axis of cell soma, the ChAT antibody reacted nerve cells in the Meynert basal nucleus of the rats were classified into six types. In the adult rats, the FD (frequency distributions) of round, oval and elongated cells were maximum. The FD of these types were shown to be progressively decreased during the postnatal development. In addition, the FD of elongated nerve cells in were observed in the adult rats respectively. This was thought to be the same phenomenon as those in the round and oval cells . The total mean volume of ChAT antibody reacted cell somata was lowest in the PND (postnatal days) 7 rats and was highest in the PND 21 rats. But, those were decreased to the adult. These results suggest that ChAT antibody reacted nerve cells grow up to PND 21 and then, differentiate into the various types by neurites outgrowing. On the electron micrography, the adult rat forebrain cells were obtained to be well developed ribosomes, polysomes , rough endoplasmic reticula and mitochondria. The immunreactivities were observed in ribosomes, polysomes, rough endoplasmic reticula and outer membrane of mitochondria. Golgi complexes were poorly developed and not showed jmmunreactivity. The ribosomes , polysomes and endoplasmic reticula are considered to be closely related to the inter cellular localization and biosynthesis of the ChAT but not Golgi complex. According to the results in the present study, it is considered that the ChAT-immunoreacted nerve cells in the Meynert basal nucleus of the rat forebrains are differentiated throughout the postnatal development with following processes of changes; 1) the cholinergic nerve cells develop postnatally 2) cell soma volumes gradually increase during the early postnatal days 3) and then, cells differentiate into the various types by projecting the neurites to the appropriate area after PND 21.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.383-403
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• 1999

This study was performed to investigate the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characterization of the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive nerve cells in the diagonal band of Broca of the rat basal forebrains, utilizing techniques of immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical microscopy. The ChAT-immunoreactivities were shown within neuronal cell bodies and processes by the light micoscope. According to cell shape and ratio of long axis vs short axis of cell body, the ChAT-immunoreaclive nerve cells in both vertical and horizontal limbs of the diagonal band of Broca were classified into 6 types. at the light microscopic level; round, oval, elongated, fusiform, triangular and polygonal types. As a result of the electron microscopic observation, the ChAT-immunoreactivated products appeared on the outer nuclear envelope, membranes of rough endoplasmic reticula (rER), free ribosomes and polysomes. Each cell type was subdivided into subtype I and II according to the several criteria such as volume of cell body, nuclear size relative to the cytoplasm, kinds and distribution of cell organelles and numbers and sorts of synapses. The subtype I of immnunoreactive nerve cells had large cell body and a small nucleus showing shallow indentations of nuclear evelope. In this subtype I with abundant cytoplasm, rER were well differentiated. Their long cisternae were parallelly ditributed and lamellated. One or two lamellar bodies and nematosomes were observed. The subtype II cell had small cell body and a large nucleus with deep indentations of nuclear envelope. In this subtype II with small cytoplasm, the rER were irregularly distributed and the lamellar body and nematosome were not found. A few axosomatic synapses in the subtype I and II were shown to be symmetric or asymmetric. The ratios of the symmetric synapse to the asymmetric one were investigated to be 1 : 2 and 1 : 4 in the subtype I and II, respectively. The axodendritic ones were almost asymmetric. But, the fusiform and triangular immunoreactive nerve cells were shown only to be subtype I. According to observations in this study, it is considered that the ultrastructural characterization in the 2 subtypes of each cell type may reflect the differences of the metabolic activities and projecting distances to the target cells.