Simultaneous ultrastructural demonstration of retrogradely transported horseradish peroxidase and choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity

Summary In order to study the synaptic connections of neurons identified by their projection target and neurotransmitter content, we have adapted a method of combining retrograde tracing of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and immunocytochemistry at the electron microscopic level. HRP was injected into the rat amygdala. Sections from the rostral forebrain were processed according to the 3,3-diaminobenzidine/glucose oxidase reaction followed by choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) localization. Neurons in the ventral pallidum which contained both the diffuse immunoperoxidase reaction product (ChAT) and large electron dense bodies characteristic of retrogradely transported HRP were defined as double labeled, i.e. cholinergic neurons that project to the amygdaloid body.