title: Lymphoid cell subpopulations containing vasoactive intestinal peptide in the rat.
abstract: In the present study we describe the cell types containing immunoreactive vasoactive intestinal peptide (IR-VIP) in rat thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes. Indirect immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry indicated that all lymphoid organs studied contained VIP-positive cells, with the spleen and lymph nodes having a higher proportion than the thymus. Vasoactive intestinal peptide was found in both lymphocytes and nonlymphoid cells, lymphocytes predominating among VIP-positive cells. Double immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometry showed that all lymphoid subpopulations identified contained variable proportions of VIP-positive lymphocytes. Immunocytochemical staining of cell suspensions for both light and electron microscopy showed the cytoplasmic localization of the IR-VIP. These findings, coupled to our previous results, are consistent with the idea that VIP may have a lymphoid origin and could be active in local immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department Biologia Celular, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leceta
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Gomariz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013154:Spleen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide