Distribution of neuropeptide-immunoreactive nerve fibres in the medulla oblongata of the chicken.
The anatomical distribution of nerve fibres containing galanin (GAL), leucine enkephalin (lENK), methionine enkephalin (mENK) and substance P (SP) was investigated in the medulla oblongata of the chicken by means of immunohistochemistry. In the medulla oblongata, dense networks of mENK-, lENK-, SP- and GAL-immunoreactive nerve fibres were mainly restricted within and around the dorsal vagal complex, i.e., the nucleus of the solitary tract and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve. The relative density of immunoreactive nerve fibres was usually decreased in the order of mENK-, SP-, lENK- and GAL-immunoreactive ones. Immunoreactive nerve fibres for each antiserum had a unique distribution among the subnuclear groups of the dorsal vagal complex. Sparser networks of immunolabelled nerve fibres were found in the nucleus of the hypoglossal nerve, nucleus ambiguus, nucleus of the descending trigeminal tract, raphe nucleus and caudal olivary complex. In the colchicine-pretreated chicken, some nerve cell bodies expressing the immunoreaction for ENK and GAL antisera were detected in the nucleus of the solitary tract and nucleus of the descending trigeminal tract. There were some differences in the distribution pattern of immunoreactive nerve elements among the four kinds of antisera. The selective distribution of neuropeptide-containing nerve elements within various nuclei of the medulla oblongata suggests that these neuropeptides may be differentially involved in central neural regulation.
Wang
J
J
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Agriculture, Nagoya University, Japan.
Ohmori
Y
Y
Watanabe
T
T
Naito
J
J
Fukuta
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D005930:Glossopharyngeal Nerve / Q000737:chemistry; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000737:chemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D009847:Olivary Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000737:chemistry; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000737:chemistry
D009479:Neuropeptides