Co-localization of corticotropin-releasing factor- and enkephalin-like immunoreactivities in nerve cells of the rat hypothalamus and adjacent areas.
The co-localization of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)- and enkephalin (ENK)-like immunoreactivities in nerve cells of the rat hypothalamus and adjacent areas was investigated by the simultaneous application of immuno-beta-galactosidase staining and the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method to the same sections. CRF-like immunoreactive cells were stained blue with immuno-beta-galactosidase staining and ENK-like immunoreactive cells brown with the PAP method. Double-labeled cells with overlap of blue and brown immunoreaction products were identified in all subregions of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH), in contrast to previous studies showing the occurrence of double-labeled cells only in the parvocellular part of the PVH. Other areas that contained double-labeled cells were: the medial preoptic area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, periventricular hypothalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area, dorsal hypothalamic area and subincertal nucleus. These findings suggest that nerve cells with both CRF- and ENK-like immunoreactivities may be more actively involved in neuroendocrine regulation and neural transmission than previously considered.
Sakanaka
M
M
Department of Anatomy, Osaka Medical College, Japan.
Magari
S
S
Shibasaki
T
T
Inoue
N
N
D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005696:Galactosidases; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D004745:Enkephalins; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D005696:Galactosidases