title: alpha-Melanotropin, beta-endorphin and adrenocorticotropin-like immunoreactivities are colocalized within duodenal myenteric plexus perikarya.
abstract: The opioid peptide beta-endorphin co-exists with alpha-melanotropin and adrenocorticotropin within myenteric neuronal cell bodies of the rat duodenum. Adjacent serial sections through the myenteric and submucous plexus have been stained alternately with antisera directed against alpha-melanotropin, beta-endorphin and adrenocorticotropin. This resulted in nearly superimposable immunofluorescences for the 3 peptides within neuronal cell bodies of the myenteric plexus. An alpha-melanotropin staining was always linked by an immunofluorescence for beta-endorphin, adrenocorticotropin and vice versa. These staining patterns were not seen in the submucous plexus. Some tangentially cut nerve fibers running through the longitudinal muscle layer revealed a coexistence of adrenocorticotropin and alpha-melanotropin. The colocalization of beta-endorphin, alpha-melanotropin and adrenocorticotropin within the same perikarya may reflect a physiological role for the 3 peptides in the nervous system of the rat duodenum.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wolter
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004386:Duodenum / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D004723:Endorphins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013368:Submucous Plexus / Q000378:metabolism; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones