title: Peptide-immunoreactive nerves in the mammalian female genital tract.
abstract: Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, substance P, neuropeptide Y and peptide histidine isoleucine immunoreactivities have been demonstrated in the female genitalia of rat, cat, mouse and guinea-pig using immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay. They were localized to nerves. Each type of immunoreactive nerve showed a distinct pattern of distribution, though all were associated to some degree with blood vessels and smooth muscle. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive and neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive nerves were the most abundant. Higher concentrations of peptides were detected in the female genitalia of the mouse than those of the other species studied. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive nerves were particularly concentrated in the cervix (89.1 +/- 17.2 pmol/g, mean +/- S.E.M.) and the uterus (57.4 +/- 14.8 pmol/g) of the mouse, while neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity was more abundant in the Fallopian tube of the mouse (31.6 +/- 11.8 pmol/g) and the vagina of the rat (38.6 +/- 4.8 pmol/g) than in other regions. Separate populations of ganglion cells in the paracervical ganglia were found to contain vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and neuropeptide Y immunoreactivities. Peptide histidine isoleucine-immunoreactive and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive nerves were similarly distributed, but the former were much less frequent. Substance P-immunoreactive nerves were seen mainly beneath the epithelium of the vagina and were, in general, more numerous in the guinea-pig than in other species. The significance of these peptide-immunoreactive nerves in the female genital organ remains to be determined.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000294:innervation*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D010451:Peptide PHI; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D010451:Peptide PHI; D010455:Peptides; D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide