Correlative analysis of immunoreactivity in confocal laser-scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with focused ion beam milling.

Recently, three-dimensional reconstruction of ultrastructure of the brain has been realized with minimal effort by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with focused ion beam (FIB) milling (FIB-SEM). Application of immunohistochemical staining in electron microscopy (EM) provides a great advantage in that molecules of interest are specifically localized in ultrastructures. Thus, we applied immunocytochemistry for FIB-SEM and correlated this immunoreactivity with that in confocal laser-scanning microcopy (CF-LSM).

A morphological analysis of thalamocortical axon fibers of rat posterior thalamic nuclei: a single neuron tracing study with viral vectors.

The rostral sector of the posterior thalamic nuclei (POm) is, together with the ventral posterior nuclei (VP), involved in somatosensory information processing in rodents. The POm receives inputs from the spinal cord and trigeminal nuclei and projects to the primary somatosensory (S1) cortex and other cortical areas. Although thalamocortical axons of single VP neurons are well known to innervate layer (L) 4 of the S1 cortex with distinct columnar organization, those of POm neurons have not been elucidated yet.

Effectable application of vascular endothelial growth factor to critical sized rat calvaria defects.

Objective: An early vascular response for angiogenesis is essential for the normal progression of bone defect healing. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent inducer of angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a poly (L,D-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) membrane with VEGF encapsulated into PLGA microspheres on bone regeneration at bone defects in rat calvaria.

Expression of D1 but not D2 dopamine receptors in striatal neurons producing neurokinin B in rats.

Neostriatal projection neurons are known to be largely divided into two groups, striatoentopeduncular/striatonigral and striatopallidal neurons, which mainly express D1 and D2 dopamine receptors, respectively. Recently, a small population of neostriatal neurons have been reported to produce neurokinin B (NKB), and send their axons mainly to the basal forebrain regions. To reveal which type of dopamine receptors were expressed by these NKB-producing neurons, we examined rat striatal neurons by combining immunofluorescence labeling for preprotachykinin B (PPTB), the precursor of NKB, and fluorescence in situ hybridization labeling for dopamine receptors.

Development of heterodont dentition in house shrew (Suncus murinus).

Mammalian heterodont dentition comprises incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Although there has been intensive research, the patterning of these specific tooth types has not yet been elucidated. In order for the gene expression data to be linked with tooth type determination, it is first necessary to determine precisely the incisor-, canine-, premolar-, and molar-forming regions in the jaw primordia.

The morphological and histological characters of the male external genitalia of the house musk shrew, Suncus murinus.

External genitalia are the reproductive organs necessary for efficient copulation and internal fertilization in various mammalian species. Their morphogeneses display significant morphological and developmental differences among species. The house musk shrew, Suncus murinus (hereafter described as suncus) is a species of the order Insectivora, which has been considered as primitive and one of the earliest eutheria phylogenetically.