Ultrastructural immunocytochemical study of the dopaminergic innervation of the rat lateral septum with anti-dopamine antibodies.

The dopaminergic innervation of the rat lateral septum has been investigated at ultrastructural level by immunocytochemistry using the unlabelled peroxidase-anti-peroxidase method with anti-dopamine antibodies. The specificity of the reaction has been carefully checked by immunological and histochemical controls. A strong immunoreaction was observed in fibres of the lateral septum as well as in their cells of origin in the ventral tegmental area. In the lateral septum, dopamine-immunoreactive fibres were localized in two distinct areas. A first area, located ventrally in the anterior part of the septum was characterized by a high density of immunoreactive varicosities with barely visible intervaricose segments. A more dorsal area, extending throughout the anteroposterior region of the septum, was characterized by immunoreactive fibres in pericellular arrangements. Electron microscopic observations revealed no difference in the ultrastructure of dopamine-immunoreactive profiles in the different areas. Reaction product was found in vesicles, linked to microtubules and in the cytoplasm. Three types of vesicles were seen: (i) small vesicles (30-50 nm) with varying intensity of immunoreaction, filling up the varicosities; (ii) rare large clear vesicles (50-80 nm) with no internal immunoreaction; (iii) very rare large dense vesicles (50-100 nm) with a strong dopamine immunoreactivity. Labelled profiles were observed in clearly defined asymmetrical synaptic contacts with somata and dendrites. Due to the lack of previous work dealing with the use of anti-dopamine antibodies for electron microscope immunocytochemistry, our observations are compared to previous data obtained by more indirect labelling techniques.