Subcellular identification of angiotensin I/II- and angiotensin II (AT 1)-receptor-immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of rats

• Published in: Brain research 2003-02, Vol.962 (1), p.92-104
• Main Authors: Thomas, Martin Alexander, Fleissner, Gerta, Hauptfleisch, Stefan, Lemmer, Björn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy; Angiotensin I - analysis; Angiotensin II; Angiotensin II (AT 1)-receptor; Angiotensin II - analysis; Animals; Axons - ultrastructure; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - cytology; Brain - ultrastructure; Brain parenchyma vessel; Central nervous system; Electron microscopy; Endoplasmic Reticulum - ultrastructure; Endothelium - cytology; Endothelium - ultrastructure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hypothalamus; Immunocytochemistry; Immunohistochemistry; In Vitro Techniques; Nerve Endings - ultrastructure; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - ultrastructure; Rats; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; Receptors, Angiotensin - analysis; Receptors, Angiotensin - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-8993(02)03971-9

To gain insight into generating and transport mechanisms of angiotensin (ANG) in the brain the study was focused on the subcellular localization of ANG II and its AT 1-receptors in the hypothalamus of rats. The present paper demonstrates ANG II- and AT 1-receptor-immunolabelling at brain parenchyma vessels and at glial and neuronal structures in the perivascular region. Further, ANG II- and AT 1-receptor-immunoreactivity is shown at plasma membranes and intracellular structures in the ependyma of the third ventricle. Based upon a conventional horseradish peroxidase technique, combined with the classical substrate 3,3′-diaminobenzidine, a procedure is introduced that will be useful with a variety of antibodies used on glutar- and paraformaldehyde-fixed brain tissue. This technique enables a fast correlation between light and electron microscopical results and might also provide an attractive alternative to colloidal gold-labelling and silver-intensification techniques.