Electron microscopic localization of enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in the human adrenal medulla.
Enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in human adrenomedullary cells was studied at the light and electron microscopic levels. Enkephalin immunostaining was associated with chromaffin granules and, in a few cells, with the rough endoplasmic reticulum as well. The relative number of stained granules varied from cell to cell, and a correlation with a particular granular population was not noted. Both large and small granules were labelled. It is concluded that in the human the ability to store enkephalin immunoreactive peptides is a general property of chromaffin granules and, furthermore, is not correlated with specific granular subpopulations or the particular type of catecholamine stored within the cell.
Hervonen
A
A
Department of Public Health, Tampere Brain Research Center, University of Tampere, Finland.
Linnoila
I
I
Vaalasti
A
A
Alho
H
H
Pelto-Huikko
M
M
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002837:Chromaffin Granules / Q000378:metabolism; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods
D004745:Enkephalins