Synopsis
Perfusion with a mixture of formaldehyde (4%) and glutaraldehyde (0.5%) is shown both to fix central nervous tissue and to produce, with no further treatment, a fluorescence histochemical localization of catecholamines. After perfusion, serial sections can be readily taken through the whole brain with a Vibratome. Landmarks which are apparent at low power with white-light illumination can be seen when the sections are viewed in the fluorescence microscope. Catecholamine-containing nerve cell bodies, varicose axon terminals and non-varicose nerve fibres appear brightly fluorescent and well localized. The method has been applied to rats, guinea-pigs and rabbits and is ideally suited to the accurate mapping of central catecholamine neurons and their processes.
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Furness, J.B., Costa, M. & Blessing, W.W. Simultaneous fixation and production of catecholamine fluorescence in central nervous tissue by perfusion with aldehydes. Histochem J 9, 745–750 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003068
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003068