title: Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) innervation of rat spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes.
abstract: In the thymus, VIP-positive (+) fibers were found in the capsular/septal system, cortex, and medulla. In the spleen, VIP+ nerves coursed along large arteries and central arterioles, and in the white pulp, venous/trabecular system, and red pulp. Splenic VIP innervation was more robust in Long-Evans hooded rats than in Fischer 344 rats. VIP+ nerves in mesenteric lymph nodes were found in the cortex, and along the cortical vasculature and medullary cords. No VIP innervation was observed in popliteal lymph nodes. Immunocytes also were VIP+, suggesting that both neural and cellular synthesis of VIP contributes to VIP concentration in lymphoid organs. Surgical sympathectomy did not alter splenic or thymic VIP content, respectively, and VIP innervation of these organs was not altered, suggesting an origin for VIP+ nerves other than the sympathetic nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Rochester School of Medicine, NY 14642, USA.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bellinger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lorton
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brouxhon
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Felten
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Felten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015171:Ganglionectomy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D009638:Norepinephrine