Immunocytochemical study of the relations of acetylcholinesterase, enkephalin-, substance P-, choline acetyltransferase- and calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive structures in the ventral horn of rat spinal cord.
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-like immunoreactivity was localized immunocytochemically in the large motoneurons in the ventral horn of rat spinal cord. Using fluorescence double-labelling substance P (SP)-immunoreactive nerve fibres were found to surround both the CGRP-positive and negative motoneurons, whereas enkephalin (ENK)-immunoreactive fibres surrounded mainly CGRP-negative cells. All CGRP-like immunoreactive motoneurons were also choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)- and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-positive. On the other hand a large population of ChAT- and AChE-positive motoneurons were devoid of CGRP-immunoreactivity. It is probable that CGRP/ChAT/AChE-positive cells surrounded by SP-positive fibres have different functions in motoric nervous system than the CGRP-negative ChAT/AChE-positive cells, which are surrounded by ENK-immunoreactive fibres.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.
M
M
Hietanen
M
M
Pelto-Huikko
L
L
Rechardt
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis*; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis*; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000032:analysis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000032:analysis* / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis*
D004745:Enkephalins; D013373:Substance P; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide