title: Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive nerves in the kidney.
abstract: Nerve fibers immunoreactive for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were demonstrated by immunocytochemistry in the dog and rat kidney. They were seen in association with the renal artery and its branches. In the dog, VIP-immunoreactive fibers were rarely seen close to small blood vessels suggestive of arterioles. The possible existence of neuroeffector junctions between VIP-positive fibers and renin-secreting juxtaglomerular cells requires further investigation. VIP-positive renal nerves, however, might have a vasodilatatory role.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007668:Kidney / Q000294:innervation*; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000294:innervation; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000294:innervation; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide