[Characteristics of galanin and vasoactive intestinal peptide immunoreactivity in the rat amygdala complex].
BACKGROUND
Morphological features and morphometric parameters of galanin (GAL) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) immunoreactive neurons and neuronal fibres were studied in all nuclei of adult male rat amygdala.


METHODS
After perfusion and fixation, rat brains were immunohistochemically stained with antibodies against GAL and VIP and then visualized by avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex.


CONCLUSIONS
The greatest number of galanin-immunoreactive neurons were identified in the medial part of the central nucleus and in the dorsal part of the medial nucleus. In the first case, most neurons were bipolar (37%), and in the second, they were ovoid (45%). GAL-immunoreactive fibers were identified in the medial nucleus, "bed nucleus" of the accessory olfactory tract, fiontal cortical nucleus, amygdalo-hippocampal area and basolateral nucleus. VIP-immunoreactive neurons were diffusely distributed in more nuclei than the previous, mostly in the lateral, basolateral, and basomedial nucleus. They were mostly ovoid (40%). VIP-immunoreactive fibers were observed in the lateral part oJ'the central nucleus, while long and radially oriented fibers were present in the frontal and dorsal cortical nucleus.


CONCLUSIONS
By distribution analysis of GAL and VIP immunoreactive neurons and fibers, and according to literature data, it can be assumed that the medial part of the central nucleus receives VIP fibers from other parts of the amygdaloid body, and then sends GAL fibers to the medial nucleus.
Puskas
Laslo
L
Medicinski fakultet, Institut za anatomiju, Beograd. puskas@dr.com
Puskas
Nela
N
Malobabić
Slobodan
S
Krivokuća
Dragan
D
Stanković
Gordana
G
Radonjić
Vidosava
V
D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D019004:Galanin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*
D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D019004:Galanin