Monoamine oxidase in the intermediolateral nucleus of the thoracic spinal cord of the rat. A histochemical study.

We examined monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in the intermediolateral nucleus (IML) of the rat thoracic spinal cord by histochemistry with tyramine as a common substrate for both MAO types A and B. Light microscopy showed MAO activity in neuronal cell bodies, processes, and varicosities. Electron microscopic examination showed both MAO-positive and -negative neuronal cell bodies. In the stained cell bodies, histochemical reaction products were localized in the cytoplasm showing a selective association with mitochondrial outer membranes. MAO-positive axon terminals were often found in contact with MAO-negative neurons but only occasionally with MAO-positive neurons. MAO histochemistry in the IML was also performed using serotonin (a MAO type A preferential substrate) and beta-phenylethylamine (a MAO type B preferential substrate). Light microscopy identified MAO activity for serotonin in a plexus of varicosities but not in any neuronal cell bodies. The activity for beta-phenylethylamine was detected frequently in neuronal cell bodies but rarely in varicosities. Our findings indicate that two groups of IML neurons can be chemically distinguished, one contains MAO type B while the other lacks both MAO types A and B. In addition, many axon terminals contain MAO type A but only a few fibers include MAO type B in the IML.