NEUROTRANSMITTER MECHANISMS OF RAT VAGAL AFFERENT NEURONS

Abstract

1. The present study has employed anatomical and neurochemical techniques to assess whether the amino acid, L-glutamate, may be considered as a potential neurotransmitter at rat vagal afferent neurons, with particular reference to baroreceptor afferents. 2. Slide-mounted sections of rat nodose ganglia were incubated with a high-titre antibody to glutamate, and visualization of the resulting immunoreactivity indicated glutamate-positive staining in a population of vagal afferent perikarya. In contrast, interstitial cells were devoid of immunostaining. 3. Release of endogenous glutamate was measured by in vivo microdialysis in the nucleus tractus solitarius, the site of central vagal afferent ..