An ultrastructural study of p75 neurotrophin receptor-immunoreactive fiber terminals in the reticular thalamic nucleus of young rats

Abstract The reticular thalamic nucleus (RT) receives cholinergic fibers from both the basal forebrain and the brainstem. Recent studies have shown that the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75 NTR ) is synthesized in cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain but not in those in the brainstem. In this study, to identify cholinergic fibers originating from the basal forebrain, we used a monoclonal antibody against p75 NTR (192-IgG) and characterized the ultrastructure of the immunoreactive fiber terminals in the rostral part of the RT in 3-week-old rats. Light microscopy revealed that p75 NTR -immunoreactive fine fibers and varicosities were distributed throughout the nucleus. From electron micrographs, three types of labeled terminals were identified. The first type of labeled fiber terminals (63 out of 106) was consistently small, contained densely packed vesicles, and established asymmetrical synaptic contacts with heavy and bushy postsynaptic thickening on distal dendritic profiles; the second type (18 out of 106) established asymmetrical synaptic contacts with very slight postsynaptic thickening; and the third type (25 out of 106) of labeled terminals contained pleomorphic vesicles and established symmetrical synaptic contacts with more proximal dendritic surfaces than the first two types. In addition to the above, labeled dendritic profiles receiving non-labeled asymmetrical and symmetrical synaptic contacts were identified. These findings suggest that the basal forebrain cholinergic system establishes a variety of synaptic connections in the RT and influences cortical activity indirectly via thalamocortical pathways, as well as via direct projections to the cortex.