Transient appearance of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive non-catecholaminergic neurons in the medial geniculate nucleus of postnatal mice.

Tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-ir) cells were found to appear transiently in the medial geniculate nuclear region of mice at postnatal day 7 (P7) by use of an avidin-biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) method for the first time. The numbers of TH-ir cells reached maximum between P14 and P21 and decreased until P29. These cells were GTP cyclohydrolase I-negative, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase-negative, and dopamine-negative. Thus, they do not belong to the catecholaminergic neuron system, because they lack dopamine production. The results suggest that TH in the cells in the medial geniculate nuclear region of mice has some new functions besides catecholamine biosynthesis.