Immunohistochemical evidence for coexistence of glycine and GABA in nerve terminals on cat spinal motoneurones: an ultrastructural study

Neuroreport. 1994 Apr 14;5(8):889-92. doi: 10.1097/00001756-199404000-00009.

Abstract

Previous electrophysiological and pharmacological studies have suggested the involvement of both glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as transmitters in the reflex pathway mediating recurrent inhibition of cat spinal motoneurones. By use of the postembedding immunogold technique and antibodies against glutaraldehyde-conjugated amino acids it is shown that glycine- and GABA-immunoreactive nerve terminals occur in contact with cell bodies of alpha motoneurone size, as well as in the surrounding neuropil in the motor nuclei of the cat spinal cord. A substantial proportion of these terminals harbours both glycine- and GABA-LI. The enrichment of immunolabelling over synaptic vesicles in such terminals strongly suggests that both of these amino acids are used as transmitter substances.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cats
  • Glycine / metabolism*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Motor Neurons / metabolism*
  • Motor Neurons / ultrastructure
  • Nerve Endings / metabolism*
  • Nerve Endings / ultrastructure
  • Spinal Cord / cytology
  • Spinal Cord / metabolism*
  • Spinal Cord / ultrastructure
  • Synaptic Vesicles / metabolism
  • Synaptic Vesicles / ultrastructure
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / metabolism*

Substances

  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • Glycine