title: Distribution of hypocretin (orexin) immunoreactivity in the feline pons and medulla.
abstract: The distribution of hypocretin-1 (hcrt-1) and hypocretin-2 (hcrt-2) immunoreactivities in the cat brainstem was examined using immunohistochemical techniques. Hcrt-1- and hcrt-2-positive fibers with varicosities were detected in almost all brainstem regions. However, no hcrt-1- or hcrt-2-immunoreactive neuronal somata were observed in the cat brainstem. Both hcrt-1- and hcrt-2-labeled fibers exhibited different densities in distinct regions of the brainstem. In most brainstem regions, the intensity of hcrt-1 immunoreactivity was higher than that of hcrt-2 immunoreactivity. The highest densities of hcrt-1- and hcrt-2-positive fibers were found in the nucleus raphe dorsalis (RD), the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) and the locus coeruleus (LC), suggesting an important role for these peptides in functions related to sleep-wake behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and the Brain Research Institute, UCLA School of Medicine, 53-231 CHS, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. zhangjh@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Jian Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sampogna
authors.forename: Francisco R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chase
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002415:Cats; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000068797:Orexins; D011149:Pons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins