Acetylcholinesterase activity, choline acetyltransferase and vesicular acetylcholine transporter immunoreactivities in the rat adrenal gland during postnatal development

Abstract

From postnatl-day-0 to postnatal-day-2, a few acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-active and choline acetytransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive nerve fibers and relatively numerous vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT)-immunoreactive puncta were observed in the rat adrenal medulla. Despite relatively numerous clear vesicles in the nerve fibers, the synthesis and hydrolysis of acetylcholine may not be fully activated until postnatal-day-2. The number of AChE-active and ChAT-immunoreactive nerve fibers dramatically increased and that of VAChT-immunoreactive puncta gradually increased from postnatal-day-3 to postnatal-week-1. The synthesis and hydrolysis of acetylcholine may be dramatically activated in the nerve fibers of the medulla until postnatal-week-1. From postnatal-week-2 to postnatal-week-3, the number of AChE-active and the ChAT-immunoreactive nerve fibers gradually increased and reached the adult levels. The VAChT-immunoreactive puncta per unit area was maximum number at postnatal-week-2. The synthesis and hydrolysis of acetylcholine in the nerve fibers of the medulla may be completed between postnatal-week-2 to postnatal-week-3. The diameter of the VAChT-immunoreactive puncta gradually increased from postnatal-day-0 with aging. However, the number of the VAChT-immunoreactive puncta gradually decreased from postnatal-week-2 onwards. In electron-microscopy, the VAChT-immunoreactive deposits were seen in clusters of clear vesicles, and the diameter of the nerve fibers and the number of clear vesicles at postnatal-week-8 increased compared with those at postnatal-week-2. The AChE-active, ChAT-immunoreactive, and VAChT-immunoreactive nerve fibers observed around noradrenaline (NA) cells were denser than those around adrenaline (A) cells in the medulla at postnatal-week-8. These suggest that the preferential innervation of NA and A cells may cause the differential secretion NA and A. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.