title: The synaptic structure of PACAP immunoreactive axons in the intermediolateral nucleus of the rat.
abstract: Immuno-electronmicroscopic studies were performed to detect the presence and features of synaptic contacts between pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide immunoreactive (PACAP-ir) axons and cholera toxin B-horseradish peroxidase labeled preganglionic sympathetic neurons (PSNs) in the intermediolateral nucleus of the rat thoracic spinal cord. PACAP-ir axon varicosities, which contained small clear and large core synaptic vesicles, were found to form asymmetric type of synaptic contacts with dendrites and infrequently with somata of labeled preganglionic neurons. The present study provides ultrastructural evidence of PACAP-ir synaptic contacts with PSNs, raising the possibility that the peptide may function as a transmitter/modulator to these neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Chiba University School of Medicine, Japan. tiba@med.m.chiba-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tatsuoka
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Dun
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Dun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013909:Thorax
chemical_list: C495403:Adcyap1 protein, rat; D009479:Neuropeptides; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide