Abstract
Preproenkephalin and preprodynorphin mRNAs can be detected by in situ hybridization in medium-sized striatal neurons in normal rats and in rats with unilateral cerebral cortical lesions. Hybridization of 35S-labeled oligonucleotide cDNAs complementary to specific regions of each mRNA reveals that preproenkephalin-expressing neurons are more numerous than cells expressing preprodynorphin. Hybridization densities above enkephalin-positive neurons are also more than twice those noted above preprodynorphin-expressing cells. Northern analyses of mRNA extracted from the striatum are consistent with these relationships. The striatal preproenkephalin hybridization densities are decreased ipsilateral to cerebral cortical lesions; this change evolves largely between 1 and 5 d following the lesion. Striatal preproenkephalin mRNA is thus more prominent than preprodynorphin mRNA and depends on cerebral cortical inputs for its full expression.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 4755-4764 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of Neuroscience |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 12 |
State | Published - 1988 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience