Pterygopalatine ganglion cells contain neuropeptide Y.
By immunohistochemistry, neuropeptide Y (NPY) localizes to neurons in the rat pterygopalatine ganglion. These cells also are intensely or moderately reactive with acetylcholinesterase histochemistry. In contrast, both tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry and glyoxylic acid-induced fluorescence for catecholamines stain smaller clustered cells, similar in appearance to small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells and clearly distinct from the NPY-immunoreactive cells. By reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography, the NPY-immunoreactive material in the rat pterygopalatine ganglion migrates as a single peak characteristic of the peptide. We conclude that NPY-containing cholinergic cells are present in this classical parasympathetic ganglion. NPY-like immunoreactive neurons similarly occur in the pterygopalatine ganglion of the guinea pig.
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase