A population of very small striatal neurons in the cat displays vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity.
Cells displaying vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) immunoreactivity were demonstrated in the feline striatum using a monoclonal antibody raised against natural porcine VIP. The VIP-immunoreactive neurons in the cat striatum were very small, (8 microns diameter) bipolar and multipolar cells. The VIP-positive neurons were more numerous than the cholinergic neurons but less common than the somatostatin-immunoreactive cells in the cat caudate-putamen. The VIP-immunoreactive cells were localized predominantly in the striatal matrix and tended to avoid enkephalin-immunoreactive patches. Thus VIP-immunoreactive cells comprise another neurochemically defined neuronal population which appears to observe striosomal organization.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002415:Cats; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000276:immunology; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D013004:Somatostatin