Ultrastructural study of cholecystokinin-immunoreactive cells and processes in area CA1 of the rat hippocampus.

We used light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical methods to examine the structure of neuronal perikarya and processes containing cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity (CCK-IR) in area CA1 of the rat hippocampus. The morphology of stained perikarya, their positions within all laminae, and the orientation of their dendrites indicate that CCK-IR is located in interneurons. These cells were seen in the electron microscope to have deeply folded nuclei and to receive both symmetric and asymmetric synaptic junctions on their cell somata and dendritic shafts. Their dendrites are essentially spine-free, but form bulges at the site of some asymmetric synaptic junctions. Axonal varicosities containing CCK-IR make symmetric synaptic junctions with cell somata and dendritic shafts of both pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons. In addition, CCK-IR varicosities form symmetric junctions with unstained non-pyramidal neurons and with CCK-IR cells, suggesting either recurrent innervation of one cell on itself or interaction between interneurons. The presence of CCK-IR varicosities and synaptic junctions on pyramidal cells is in agreement with physiological data which indicate that CCK has a direct postsynaptic action. The observation of CCK-IR varicosities forming synaptic junctions on non-pyramidal cells suggests that CCK might also modify the response of interneurons.