Cholecystokinin in cortico-striatal neurons in the rat: immunohistochemical studies at the light and electron microscopical level.

Using immunohistochemical techniques we have analysed the occurrence of cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity (CCK-LI) in the cortex and striatum of the rat. In the cortex few CCK-immunoreactive cell bodies, mainly interneurons, could be visualized in normal brains, and a moderately dense network of CCK fibres was also observed. Injections of colchicine into the striatum led to an accumulation, in the surrounding cortex, of CCK-LI in the initial segment of the axon of numerous cells. In addition, with an antibody to pro-CCK several cell bodies, many of which with pyramidal shape, could be visualized. Furthermore, retrograde staining of cortical cells after unilateral injection of wheat germ agglutinin into the striatum revealed bilaterally in the cortex a number of labelled cells that also contained pro-CCK-LI. In the striatum CCK-LI was diffusely distributed in fine fibres as well as in patches of fibres located in the medial aspects. After decortication followed by callosotomy these patches disappeared on the side ipsilateral to the lesion, while the pattern of immunoreactivity of several other peptides in the striatum was unaffected. No change was observed on the contralateral side. Decortication or callosotomy alone did not affect the pattern of CCK-LI. At the ultrastructural level several CCK-immunoreactive terminals could be observed, mostly with clear, densely packed vesicles and straight asymmetric synaptic contacts with small spines, characteristic for terminals of cortical origin. The results are consistent with the presence of a major, partly crossed, CCK-containing cortico-striatal pathway.