Fluorescence histochemistry of monoamine‐containing cell bodies in the brain stem of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). II. Catecholamine‐containing groups

Abstract

In this second paper of the series on the monoamine-containing cell bodies found in the brain stem of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) by the fluorescence histochemical technique, a description is presented of the catecholaminergic neurons. The first paper was a report on the locus caeruleus ( a norepinephrine containing group), which, in consideration of its physiological importance, was the object of a particularly detailed study. The other groups of catecholqminergic cell bodies were found to have a topographic distribution and general morphological characteristics quite similar to those described for the rat. In particular, in the squirrel monkey brain stem homologous groups of neurons were observed for each group described in the rat, with the exception of the weakly fluorescing group A3. In comparing the findings on the squirrel monkey with the description of the catecholaminergic cell groups in the cat some significant differences were noticed.Utilization of the fluorescence histochemical technique for monoamines (Carlsson, Falck and Hillarp, '62; Falck, '62; Falck, Hillarp, Thieme and Torp, '62) in studies on lower mammals, especially in the rat (Dahlstrom and Fuxe, '65) has allowed other workers to reveal that the majority of the monoamine-containing cell bodies in the central nervous system are located within fairly circumscript cell groups in the brain stem. In view of the significance of the monoamines as probable neurotransmitters as well as their probable clinical significance in neurology and psychiatry, and in consideration of the large phylogenetic gap between the lower mammals and man, a systematic study of the monoamine-containing cell bodies in the brain stem of a primate was undertaken. This report on the catecholaminecontaining groups of cells is the second in a series of papers dealing with the localization and identification of monoamine-containing groups of cell bodies in the brain stem of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). The serotonincontaining groups of cells will be considered in the next paper and, in the final paper, an atlas will be presented showing the position of these groups in frontal sections of the brain stem. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe procedures for this study were described in the MATERIALS AND METHODS section of the first paper, which dealt with the locus caeruleus of the squirrel monkey (Hubbard and Di Carlo, '73). Briefly, the brain stems were rapidly removed, isolated, and cut into sections 2 mm thick in a frontal plane to facilitate stereotaxic correlations. The thin blocks of tissue were frozen in liquid propane cooled by liquid nitrogen, freeze-dried, treated with hot vapors from standardized paraformaldehyde, vacuum embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and mounted. Groups of catecholamine-containing cell bodies identified by

Distribution and morphology of putative catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurons in the medulla oblongata of a sub-adult giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis

“…The catecholaminergic nuclei found in the giraffe medulla studied are similar to those seen in most other mammals, the one exception being the lack of a C3 nucleus seen in the laboratory rat, hamsters, neonatal swine and human (Ruggiero et al, 1992;Tillet and Kitahama, 1998;Smeets and González, 2000); however, this nucleus has not been reported in monotremes (Manger et al, 2002a), sheep (Tillet and Thibault, 1989), cow (Tillet and Kitahama, 1998), rabbit (Blessing et al, 1981), cat (Poitras and Parent, 1978;Blessing et al, 1980), dog (Barnes et al, 1988;Dormer et al, 1993), tree shrew (Murray et al, 1982), or any non-human primates that have been studied (Hubbard and Di Carlo, 1974;Garver and Sladek, 1975;Jacobwitz and MacLean, 1978;Schofield and Everitt, 1981;Pearson et al, 1983). The A2 division was comprised of only a few TH+ neurons, but these were found in the expected location (above the dorsal motor vagus nucleus) as well as in a position (between the dorsal motor vagus nucleus and the hypoglossal nucleus), that is similar to what is seen in sheep and cow (Tillet and Thibault, 1989;Tillet and Kitahama, 1998) but differs to that seen in the rat (Kalia et al, 1985a).…”

Distribution of Catecholamines in the Ventral Mesencephalon of Human Brain, with Special Reference to Parkinson's Disease

“…Levels of NA in the VTA were high in comparison with SNC or SNR (Table 2). Since no NA cell bodies have been described in animal VTA, it is probable that the NA is localized in nerve terminals (Swanson and Hartman, 1975;Hubbard and Di Carlo, 1974), or in axons passing through the VTA. Pathway tracing studies have shown that neurons in the region of A1 (containing Ad) and A6 (CA group) project to VTA (Phillipson, 1979).…”

“…Pathway tracing studies have shown that neurons in the region of A1 (containing Ad) and A6 (CA group) project to VTA (Phillipson, 1979). The presence of NA cell bodies cannot, however, be definitely excluded since species-related differences have been detected in the organization of CA neurons (Hubbard and Di Carlo, 1974). In contrast, the human SNR, which is not a CA-rich area (McGeer and McGeer, 1976; Kanazawa et al, 1977;Javoy-Agid and Agid, 1980) and is poorly innervated by NA neurons, seem rather to be a "dopaminergic" structure [scattered DA cells have been found in rat SNR (Dahlstrom and Fuxe, 1964) and DA-containing dendrites arising from pars compacta cells are known to extend into SNR in the rat (Bjorklund and Lindvall, 1975)].…”

Distribution and morphology of cholinergic, putative catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurons in the brain of the Egyptian rousette flying fox, Rousettus aegyptiacus

“…Presence of nucleus indicated by '+', absence by 'À', and unknown by '?'. Data taken from: Manger et al (2002b), Crutcher and Humbertson (1978), Michaloudi and Papadopoulos (1996), Maseko and Manger (2007), Østergaard et al (1992), Ruggiero et al (1992), Leshin et al (1995), Tillet and Kitahama (1998), Tillet and Thibault (1989), Manger et al (2003Manger et al ( , 2004, Dahlström and Fuxe (1964), Armstrong et al (1982), Hökfelt et al (1984), Greater canerat (Dwarika, Maseko, Ihunwo, Fuxe, Manger, personal observation), Moon et al (2007), Da Silva et al (2006), Blessing et al (1978), Cheung and Sladek (1975), Poitras and Parent (1978), Reiner and Vincent (1987), Kitahama et al (1990), Henderson (1987), Dormer et al (1993), Tafti et al (1997), Murray et al (1982), Jacobowitz and MacLean (1978), Felten et al (1974), Hubbard and Di Carlo (1974a), Lavoie and Parent (1994), Garver and Sladek (1975), Schofield and Everitt (1981), Satoh and Fibiger (1985), Bogerts (1981), Pearson et al (1983), Halliday et al (1988), Kitahama et al (1996). medullary tegmentum has been reported for monotremes, rats, cats and ferrets (Armstrong et al, 1982Henderson, 1987;Shiromani et al, 1988;<...>…”