title: Habenulo-interpeduncular descending pathways and their relationship to enkephalin- and somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons in the interpeduncular nucleus of human fetuses.
abstract: The interpeduncular nucleus of six human fetuses aged 15 (one specimen), 26 (one specimen), 38 (one specimen) and 40 (three specimens) gestation weeks was studied by immunohistochemistry for enkephalin and somatostatin localization and immunohistochemistry coupled with silver staining. Enkephalin-positive and somatostatin-positive cells were detected, the former initially at 15 weeks gestation and the latter at 26 weeks gestation. They appeared to receive long afferents from the habenular region and projected short efferents to adjacent cells devoid of enkephalin and somatostatin positivity. We postulate that these enkephalin- and somatostatin-positive neurons function as modulatory interneurons in the habenulo-interpeduncular and related pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Tiu
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Yew
mesh_terms: D004745:Enkephalins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D016622:Silver Staining; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D004745:Enkephalins; D013004:Somatostatin