X-Ray Analysis of Cytochemical Reaction Products in Synaptic Areas
Specific cytochemical reactions have been instrumental in the illucidation of compounds within tissues, whether these compounds are hormones, enzymes, or molecules, such as certain nerve transmitter agents. Many cytochemical reaction products depend upon some complex, which is an electron dense deposit. Several types of cytochemical procedures can be used to visualize agents related to synaptic transmission at the junctional complex. One method which has been used with considerable success has been the cytochemical localization of biogenic amines (BAs), i.e., norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA). For the past few years, a chrome complex formed with certain BAs and glutaraldehyde has been utilized to localize BAs at the electron microscopic level and the specificity of the reaction has been verified biochemically.