Projection of neostriatal spiny neurons to the substantia nigra. Application of a combined Golgi-staining and horseradish peroxidase transport procedure at both light and electron microscopic levels.

One type of striatonigral neuron in the rat has been characterized. Golgi impregnation of striatal neurons that had been retrogradely labeled by horseradish peroxidase has shown that the medium-sized, densely spiny neurons project to the substantia nigra. Some of the synapses on three of these identified striatonigral neurons have been studied in the electron microscope following replacement of the Golgi deposit by means of the 'gold-toning' method. Synapsing axonal boutons were found on the following sites: soma and axon initial segment (symmetrical, with flattened or pleomorphic vesicles); primary and secondary dendritic shafts (symmetrical with pleomorphic vesicles); dendritic spines (asymmetrical, with spheroidal vesicles). These findings show that new information concerning neuronal connectivity can be obtained by combining three classical procedures in the same material: first, the Golgi method, that characterizes the type of neuron on the basis of its dendritic morphology; second, a retrograde tracing method, that identifies the projection area of the neuron; and, third, ultrastructural analysis of the nature of afferent terminals on the neuron.