Cholinergic endings on various neurones containing calcium binding proteins and glutamic acid decarboxylase in the hippocampus of the rat

Immunohistochemical study of the cholinergic innervation of the hippocampal cells containing glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and calcium binding proteins: parvalbumin (PV), calbindin D28k (CB) and calretinin (CR) was conducted on 5 adult rat brains. Analysis of sections with double immunostaining for vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT; the marker of cholinergic cells, fibres and terminals) and respectively either GAD or PV, CB, CR, using confocal laser-scanning microscope shows that the intensive cholinergic innervations receive GAD, PV and CB-positive hippocampal cells. Cholinergic afferentations of the CR-positive neurones are considerably fewer.