title: The neuroendocrine thymus. Abundant occurrence of oxytocin-, vasopressin-, and neurophysin-like peptides in epithelial cells.
abstract: Certain subtypes of thymic epithelial cells--the medullary epithelium, the cortical surface epithelium, and some intracortical epithelial cells--show strong immunohistochemical reactivity with antisera against oxytocin, Arg-vasopressin and neurophysin. The epithelial nature of the neuropeptide containing cells is shown by their morphology and their reactivity with monoclonal anti-cytokeratin AE1/E3. Hassall's corpuscles are positive as well. The immunoreactivity patterns for the three neuropeptides are identical, suggesting a parallel distribution. The vast majority of cortical epithelial cells are negative, emphasizing the tightly controlled microenvironment for T-cell development. The possibility of a neuroendocrine role of the thymus is discussed.
authors: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, SUNY, Stony Brook 11794.
authors: U M
authors: UM
authors: Moll
authors: B L
authors: BL
authors: Lane
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Robert
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Geenen
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Legros
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004848:Epithelium / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009481:Neurophysins / Q000032:analysis*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000032:analysis*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000032:analysis* / Q000166:cytology; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009481:Neurophysins; D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin; D007633:Keratins