title: Calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity selectively labels accessory optic nuclei and pathways of the rat visual system.
abstract: The present study shows the distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunolabeled neuronal somata and fibers in the accessory optic system of adult rats. CGRP-immunoreactive cell bodies were small to medium-sized and mostly fusiform or oval-shaped. Both immunolabeled somata and fibers were found in the dorsal and lateral terminal nuclei as well as in the interstitial nucleus of the superior fasciculus (posterior fibers); whereas only immunoreactive fibers were found in the ventral division of the medial terminal nucleus, particularly its rostral portion. These results indicate that CGRP-containing neurons are present in all nuclear components of the accessory optic system and suggest that this neuropeptide may play a neuromodulative role in eye movements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, 92697, USA. ceribak@uci.edu
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ribak
authors.forename: X X
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Giolli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013788:Thalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide