Distribution of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity in the brain of the teleost Cyprinus carpio

Submitted: 27 March 2018
Accepted: 6 July 2018
Published: 24 July 2018
Abstract Views: 1281
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Cholinergic systems play a role in basic cerebral functions and its dysfunction is associated with deficit in neurodegenerative disease. Mechanisms involved in human brain diseases, are often approached by using fish models, especially cyprinids, given basic similarities of the fish brain to that of mammals. In the present paper, the organization of central cholinergic systems have been described in the cyprinid Cyprinus carpio, the common carp, by using specific polyclonal antibodies against ChAT, the synthetic enzyme of acetylcholine, that is currently used as a specific marker for cholinergic neurons in all vertebrates.  In this work, serial transverse sections of the brain and the spinal cord were immunostained for ChAT. Results showed that positive neurons are present in several nuclei of the forebrain, the midbrain, the hindbrain and the spinal cord. Moreover, ChAT-positive neurons were detected in the synencephalon and in the cerebellum. In addition to neuronal bodies, afferent varicose fibers were stained for ChAT in the ventral telencephalon, the preoptic area, the hypothalamus and the posterior tuberculum. No neuronal cell bodies were present in the telencephalon. The comparison of cholinergic distribution pattern in the Cyprinus carpio central nervous system has revealed similarities but also some interesting differences with other cyprinids. Our results provide additional information on the cholinergic system from a phylogenetic point of view and may add new perspectives to physiological roles of cholinergic system during evolution and the neuroanatomical basis of neurological diseases.

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Supporting Agencies

Sapienza University of Rome (Progetti di Ricerca 2014)
Arianna Casini, Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences

Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensis and Locomotor Apparatus Sciences

Rosa Vaccaro, Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences
Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensis and Locomotor Apparatus Sciences
Mattia Toni, Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin"
 Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”
Carla Cioni, Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin"
Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”

How to Cite

Casini, A., Vaccaro, R., Toni, M., & Cioni, C. (2018). Distribution of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity in the brain of the teleost Cyprinus carpio. European Journal of Histochemistry, 62(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2018.2932