title: Galanin-like immunoreactivity in sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons of the toad Bufo marinus.
abstract: Immunoreactivity (IR) to galanin (GAL) was detected in a wide range of peripheral autonomic neurons in the toad Bufo marinus. Forty percent of adrenergic nerve cell bodies in paravertebral sympathetic ganglia had GAL-IR in addition to neuropeptide Y (NPY)-IR. Some of these neurons projected to systemic arteries. GAL-IR was localized in parasympathetic neurons supplying the heart, lung, pulmonary artery, bladder, rectum and tongue. Eighty-two percent of intracardiac vagal nerve cell bodies had both GAL-IR and somatostatin (SOM)-IR. GAL-IR and SOM-IR were also co-localized in cholinergic post-ganglionic vagal neurons supplying the lung musculature and the pulmonary artery, and in neurons intrinsic to the bladder. Many postganglionic glossopharyngeal neurons in the tongue contained both GAL-IR and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-IR. Therefore, in Bufo marinus, a GAL-like peptide, in combination with other peptides or with adrenaline or acetylcholine, may be involved in neurotransmission in several different functional classes of autonomic neurons.
authors: Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Medicine, Flinders University of South Australia.
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Morris
authors: I L
authors: IL
authors: Gibbins
authors: P B
authors: PB
authors: Osborne
mesh_terms: D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000032:analysis; D002024:Bufo marinus; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D019004:Galanin; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000032:analysis; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010455:Peptides; D013004:Somatostatin; D019004:Galanin