Distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the rat brain stem nuclei.
The distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the individual nuclei of the rat brain stem was examined. Highest VIP concentrations in brain stem (greater than 1 ng/mg protein) are confined to dorsal regions, including periaqueductal gray and structures under the fourth ventricle. VIP concentrations are moderately high (0.8-1 ng/mg protein) in gracile nucleus, area postrema, nucleus of the solitary tract, motor nucleus of the XIIth, locus ceruleus and dorsal tegmental nucleus. Cerebellum and pontine nuclei contained only very low levels (less than 0.2 ng/mg protein) of VIP.
D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000032:analysis* / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis*
D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide