First visualization of glutamate and GABA in neurones by immunocytochemistry.

Immunocytochemical methods for peptides and serotonin have greatly advanced the study of neurones in which these substances are likely to be transmitters. Such direct techniques have not so far been available for the amino acid transmitter candidates. We report here the selective immunocytochemical visualization of the putative transmitters glutamate (Glu) and gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) by the use of antibodies raised against the amino acids coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA) with glutaraldehyde (GA). The tissue localizations of Glu-like and GABA-like immunoreactivities (Glu-LI and GABA-LI) matched those of specific uptake sites for Glu and GABA, and, in the case of GABA-LI, also that of the specific marker enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). Thus, GABA-LI was located in what are believed to be GABAergic inhibitory neurones, whereas Glu-LI was concentrated in excitatory, possibly glutamatergic neurones. Preliminary electron microscopic observations suggest that the transmitter amino acids are significantly concentrated in synaptic vesicles.

The architecture of rat lymph nodes. I. Combined light and electron microscopy of lymph node cell types.

Non-lymphoid cells in rat lymph nodes are described as seen by combined light and electron microscopy of normal adult, congenitally athymic, germ-free, irradiated, or newborn rats. The cells are divided into stromal and non-stromal. The latter category consists of a variety of morphologically distinct cell types with characteristic distribution patterns. The presence of paracortical interdigitating cells in lymph nodes of germ-free rats, athymic rats, and newborn euthymic and athymic rats, refutes the ideas that interdigitating cells differentiate from macrophages under immune stimulation or T cell influences. Follicular dendritic cells are more clearly visualized and appear to be polynucleated after emptying the follicles of lymphoid cells by irradiation. Follicular dendritic cells and tingible body macrophages are found in conventionally raised euthymic and athymic rats, but not in germ-free rats. The interrelationships of these and other types of non-lymphoid cells are discussed.