Usunoff K G, Itzev D E, Rolfs A, Schmitt O, Wree A
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University, Sofia 1431, Bulgaria.
Anat Embryol (Berl). 2006 Nov;211(6):721-37. doi: 10.1007/s00429-006-0134-9. Epub 2006 Oct 27.
The nitric oxide-producing neurons in the rat amygdala (Am) were studied, using reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd) histochemistry. Almost all nuclei of the Am contained NADPHd-positive neurons and fibers, but the somatodendritic morphology and the intensity of staining of different subpopulations varied. The strongly stained neurons displayed labeling of the perikaryon and the dendritic tree with Golgi impregnation-like quality, whilst the dendrites of the lightly stained neurons were less successfully followed. Many strongly positive neurons were located in the external capsule and within the intraamygdaloid fiber bundles. A large number of small, strongly stained cells was present in the amygdalostriatal transition area. In the Am proper, a condensation of deeply stained cells occurred in the lateral amygdaloid nucleus. In the basolateral nucleus, the strongly NADPHd-positive neurons were few, and were located mainly along the lateral border of the nucleus. These cells clearly differed from the large, pyramidal, and efferent cells. The basomedial nucleus contained numerous positive cells but most of them were only lightly labeled. A moderate number of strongly stained neurons appeared in the medial division of the central nucleus, and a larger accumulation of strongly positive cells was present in the lateral and the capsular divisions. The medial amygdaloid nucleus contained numerous moderately stained neurons and displayed the strongest diffuse neuropil staining in Am. In the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract, the first layer contained only NADPHd-stained axons, in the second layer, there were numerous moderately stained cells, and in the third layer, a few but deeply stained neurons. From the cortical nuclei, the most appreciable number of stained neurons was seen in the anterior cortical nucleus. The anterior amygdaloid area contained numerous NADPHd-positive neurons; in its dorsal part the majority of cells were only moderately stained, whereas in the ventral part the neurons were very strongly stained. The intercalated amygdaloid nucleus lacked NADPHd-positive neurons but an appreciable plexus of fine, tortuous axons was present. In the intra-amygdaloid part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (st) some lightly stained cells were seen but along the entire course of st strongly stained neurons were observed. Some Am nuclei, and especially the central lateral nucleus and the intercalated nucleus, display considerable species differences when compared with the primate Am. The age-related changes of the nitrergic Am neurons, as well as their involvement in neurodegenerative diseases is discussed.
采用还原型烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸磷酸黄递酶（NADPHd）组织化学方法，对大鼠杏仁核（Am）中产生一氧化氮的神经元进行了研究。杏仁核的几乎所有核团都含有NADPHd阳性神经元和纤维，但不同亚群的体细胞树突形态和染色强度有所不同。染色强烈的神经元显示出核周体和树突的标记，具有类似高尔基浸染的特征，而染色浅的神经元的树突则较难追踪。许多染色强烈的神经元位于外囊和杏仁核内纤维束中。在杏仁核纹状体过渡区有大量小的、染色强烈的细胞。在杏仁核本部，染色深的细胞在外侧杏仁核核团中聚集。在基底外侧核中，NADPHd阳性强烈的神经元很少，主要位于核的外侧边缘。这些细胞明显不同于大的、锥体形的传出细胞。基底内侧核含有大量阳性细胞，但大多数仅轻度标记。在中央核的内侧部分出现中等数量的染色强烈的神经元，在外侧和被膜部分有更多染色强烈的细胞聚集。内侧杏仁核核团含有大量中等染色的神经元，并且在杏仁核中显示出最强的弥漫性神经毡染色。在外侧嗅束核中，第一层仅含有NADPHd染色的轴突，第二层有许多中等染色的细胞，第三层有少数但染色深的神经元。在皮质核团中，在前皮质核中可见到数量最多的染色神经元。杏仁前区含有大量NADPHd阳性神经元；在其背侧部分，大多数细胞仅中等染色，而在腹侧部分，神经元染色非常强烈。杏仁核间插入核缺乏NADPHd阳性神经元，但存在明显的细小、曲折的轴突丛。在终纹床核（st）的杏仁核内部分可见到一些轻度染色的细胞，但在st的整个行程中都观察到了染色强烈的神经元。与灵长类动物的杏仁核相比，一些杏仁核核团，特别是中央外侧核和间插入核，表现出相当大的物种差异。文中讨论了含氮杏仁核神经元的年龄相关变化及其在神经退行性疾病中的作用。
