In situ hybridization of mRNA for beta-preprotachykinin and preprosomatostatin in adult rat dorsal root ganglia: comparison with immunocytochemical localization.
In situ hybridization histochemistry was used to identify neurons in rat dorsal root ganglia that contained mRNAs encoding beta-preprotachykinin and preprosomatostatin. The distribution of these neurons was compared with the distribution of neurons containing tachykinins or somatostatin, identified using immunocytochemical techniques. Neurons labelled for beta-preprotachykinin mRNA constituted 20% of the total neuronal population and belonged to the small cell class. Neurons labelled for preprosomatostatin mRNA with either RNA or DNA hybridization probes constituted approximately 10% of the total cells and comprised a small cell group that differed in average size from the beta-preprotachykinin labelled population. The distribution of cells containing tachykinin- or somatostatin-like immunoreactive material was identical to the distribution of cells containing the respective mRNAs and, in addition, individual somata in adjacent sections contained both the mRNA precursor and the peptide. These results suggest that for these neuropeptides the sensitivity of the two methods is equivalent and the respective mRNAs and peptides are co-localized in the same neurons.
Henken
D B
DB
Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Tessler
A
A
Chesselet
M F
MF
Hudson
A
A
Baldino
F
F
Murray
M
M
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015320:Tachykinins; C044206:preprotachykinin; D013004:Somatostatin