ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Key words Nucleus ambiguus
;
Enteric nervous system
;
Motor endplate
;
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)
;
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)
;
Coinnervation
;
Anterograde tracing
;
Rat (Wistar)
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract We investigated the origin of galanin-positive nerve fibers on motor endplates in rat esophagus using anterograde 1,1′-dioleyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine methane sulfonate (DiI) tracing from the nucleus ambiguus combined with galanin immunocytochemistry and calcitonin gene-related peptide immunocytochemistry. To demonstrate spatial relationships of galanin-positive nerve fibers to vagal and enteric nerve fibers on motor endplates, we combined galanin immunocytochemistry with calcitonin gene-related peptide immunostaining for labeling of vagal terminals, and vasoactive intestinal peptide immunoreactivity and NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry for demonstration of enteric nerve fibers. Within fine varicose nerve fibers, galanin was colocalized with vasoactive intestinal peptide and NADPH-diaphorase to a high degree and turned out to be completely separated from calcitonin gene-related peptide-positive or anterogradely DiI-labeled vagal motor terminals. These results indicate that the enteric nervous system is the most important and possibly the only source of galanin-positive nerve terminals on motor endplates in rat esophagus. Galanin may be, in addition to nitric oxide and vasoactive intestinal peptide, a mediator of the enteric coinnervation of striated muscle in this organ.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s004410051074
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