Neurotensin immunoreactivity in the colliculus inferior of cat: light and electron microscopic investigations

Neuronal perikarya with neurotensin-like immunoreactivity (NT-LI) are found in the pericentral and external nuclei and the dorsomedial part of the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus. On electron-microscopic examination, these neurons are characterized by a relatively large nucleus, a small amount of cytoplasm and paucity of organelles. NT-LI is observed in large and small dendrites and dendritic spines as well as in axon terminals which contain small round or elongated clear vesicles and/or dense core vesicles. The immunoreactive terminal boutons make asymmetrical axodendritic and symmetrical axo-somatic synapses mainly on non-immunoreactive elements.