title: A cholinergic innervation of the bovine pineal gland visualized by immunohistochemical detection of choline acetyltransferase-immunoreactive nerve fibers.
abstract: An immunohistochemical investigation of the bovine pineal gland was performed using both a rabbit polyclonal antibody and a rat monoclonal antibody against choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). A network of ChAT-immunoreactive (IR) nerve fibers was located throughout the pineal gland, both in the perivascular spaces and between the pinealocytes. Most of the intrapineal ChAT-IR nerve fibers were endowed with varicosities. In addition, some ChAT-IR intrapineal neurons were found, often located at the base of the gland near the pineal recess. Within the habenular nucleus and pineal stalk, ChAT-IR perikarya and nerve fibers were also present. Some of these fibers projected towards the pineal gland. A number of ChAT-IR nerves were also located in the posterior commissure and could be followed into the gland. At the caudal tip of the pineal gland, a bundle of ChAT-IR nerve fibers was observed to penetrate into the gland together with blood vessels. The presence of a cholinergic innervation of the bovine pineal gland, together with previous demonstration of the presence of choline acetyltransferase and muscarinic receptor binding sites in the bovine pineal gland, indicates a functional influence of a cholinergic nervous system on the pinealocyte.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phansuwan-Pujito
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Govitrapong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Møller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase