Histochemically detected differences in cultured sympathetic neurons.

Fetal or newborn rat and guinea-pig sympathetic ganglia were cultured in Rose chambers. After periods of up to 14 days in vitro, cultures were processed for catecholamine fluorescence or acetylcholinesterase histochemistry. The two types of neuron previously identified showed different histochemical reactions. The less frequent, smaller Type I cells contained catecholamine but did not stain for acetylcholinesterase. These cells may be immature. The more common Type II cells showed reactions for both catecholamine and acetylcholinesterase and in this respect resembled mature ganglion cells.