THE SUBCELLULAR LOCALIZATION OF DOPAMINE AND ACETYLCHOLINE IN THE DOG CAUDATE NUCLEUS

Abstract

The distribution of dopamine (3,4-dihydroxyphènylethylamine) between the subcellular fractions from homogenates of dog caudate nucleus was compared with the distributions of acetylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and lactate dehydrogenase activity. The distributions of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine between the subcellular fractions from homogenates of dog hypothalamus were also determined. Most of the dopamine, in contrast to acetylcholine, occurred in the soluble supernatant fraction; the remainder was associated with the fractions rich in pinched-off nerve ending particles, but localization in any one fraction was not as sharp as that of acetylcholine. Evidence is presented that suggests that the dopamine occurs in a free or easily released form throughout cell cytoplasm.