J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2011 May;50(3):228-235.

Distribution Patterns of Calbindin-D28K and NADPH-Diaphorase Positive Neurons in the Midbrain Periaqueductal Gray of the Rabbit

• Oh HJ
• Kim SH
• Kim HR
• Park SH
• Park SH
• Shin HR
• Jung SY
• Lee MI

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
We attempted to compartmentalize the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of the rabbit in terms of the different distribution patterns between NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd)- and calbindin D28K (CB)-positive neurons.
METHODS
Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescent labelling for CB and histochemistry for NADPHd were carried out on coronally-sectioned midbrain slices of the rabbit.
RESULTS
NADPHd-positive neurons were selectively localized in the dorsolateral (DL), the middle one-third of the lateral (L), the dorsal half of the ventrolateral (VLd) PAG, and the supraoculomotor cap nucleus (Su3C). Clusters of CB-immunoreactive perikarya marked the dorsal half of DL (DLd), Su3C, the ventral one-third of L, and the ventral half of the ventrolateral (VLv) PAG. Double labelling for NADPHd and CB revealed that two markers labelled different neuronal groups in DLd and Su3C subdivisions.
CONCLUSION
The present data suggest that NADPHd and CB can be regarded as reliable neurochemical markers to reveal the longitudinally-columnar organization within the PAG and to subdivide each columnar area.

Keyword

Periaqueductal gray; Calbindin; NADPHd

MeSH Terms

Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent
Immunohistochemistry
Mesencephalon
Neurons
Periaqueductal Gray
Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent