title: Immunohistochemical localization of neuropeptides in the human ciliary ganglion.
abstract: In human ciliary ganglia, 18% of neurons were in contact with substance P (SP) and 12% with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) like-immunoreactive (LI) varicose axons. CGRP was colocalized with SP. Numerous SP-LI and CGRP-LI non-varicose nerve fibers were found between the ganglion cells and in nerve trunks that entered the ganglia. Axons immunoreactive for neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) never contacted neuronal cell bodies. Perikarya of ciliary neurons neither stained for any of the neuropeptides nor for DBH. 23% of ciliary perikarya were TH-immunoreactive. These observations suggest an innervation of human ciliary ganglion neurons by peptidergic primary afferent collaterals presumably of trigeminal origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kirch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Neuhuber
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Tamm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D009479:Neuropeptides; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase