Cholinergic innervation of the main and the accessory olfactory bulbs of the rat as revealed by a monoclonal antibody against choline acetyltransferase.

The main and accessory olfactory bulbs (MOB and AOB) of the rat were immunohistochemically stained with a monoclonal antibody against choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in order to know the difference in the distribution patterns of cholinergic fibers between these two structures. A few ChAT-immunoreactive cell bodies were found in the superficial and middle parts of the external plexiform layer (EPL) of the MOB, in the granule cell layer (GCL) of the MOB, and in the GCL of the AOB. The frequency in appearance of these cells was 0.9 cells/section in the MOB and 0.3 cells/section in the AOB. While the glomerular layer (GL) and the superficial part of the EPL were most densely innervated in the MOB, the internal plexiform layer received the richest innervation in the AOB. There were no immunoreactive structures in the olfactory nerve layer of the MOB and in the vomeronasal nerve layer and glomerular layer of the AOB. In addition to a relatively homogenous distribution of cholinergic fibers in the MOB and AOB, there were several foci of very dense network of immunoreactive fibers at the posterior level of the OB. These foci formed a part of the modified glomerular complex that was recently identified using 2-deoxyglucose method and was presumed to be related to suckling behaviour in the neonatal rat.