title: Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)--immunoreactive nerve fibres in the mammary gland of the pig.
abstract: Immunohistochemical studies have been performed to investigate the coexistence of VIP with dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (D(beta)H), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), somatostatin (SOM) or neuropeptyd Y (NPY) within nerve fibres supplying the immature mammary gland in the pig. Generally, a moderate number of the VIP-immunoreactive (VIP-IR) nerve fibres were located in the nipple and parenchyma of the gland. VIP-IR fibres surrounded smooth muscle cells (SMC), blood vessels (BV) and lactiferous ducts (LD). Double-labelling immunohistochemistry revealed that some of VIP-IR nerve fibres also contained immunoreactivity to D(beta)H. VIP/D(beta)H-IR nerves were associated with BV and SMC and single fibres were observed around the LD in both nipple and parenchyma of the gland. VIP/VAChT-IR nerve fibres were not observed. The majority of VIP-IR fibres associated with SMC were also SOM-IR. Less numerous VIP/SOM-IR fibres supplied the BV and were located around the LD of the gland. A small number of VIP-IR nerves also displayed immunoreactivity to NPY. VIP/NPY-IR nerve fibres supplied the BV of the gland.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002395:Catecholamines; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D013004:Somatostatin; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D000109:Acetylcholine