title: Mapping of CGRP in the alpaca (Lama pacos) brainstem.
abstract: In this study, we demonstrate the presence of immunoreactive structures containing calcitonin gene-related peptide in the alpaca brainstem. This is the first time that a detailed mapping of the cell bodies and fibers containing this neuropeptide in the alpaca brainstem has been carried out using an immunocytochemical technique. Immunoreactive cell bodies and fibers were widely distributed throughout the alpaca brainstem. A high density of calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive perikarya was found in the superior colliculus, the dorsal nucleus of the raphe, the trochlear nucleus, the lateral division of the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, the motor trigeminal nucleus, the facial nucleus, the pons reticular formation, the retrofacial nucleus, the rostral hypoglossal nucleus, and in the motor dorsal nucleus of the vagus, whereas a high density of fibers containing calcitonin gene-related peptide was observed in the lateral division of the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, the parvocellular division of the alaminar spinal trigeminal nucleus, the external cuneate nucleus, the nucleus of the solitary tract, the laminar spinal trigeminal nucleus, and in the area postrema. This widespread distribution indicates that the neuropeptide studied might be involved in multiple functions in the alpaca brainstem.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Salamanca, Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León, Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems (INCYL), Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coveñas
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Luís Angel
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lerma
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangas
authors.forename: Zaida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Díaz-Cabiale
authors.forename: José Angel
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Narváez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001931:Brain Mapping; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002161:Camelids, New World / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000502:physiology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide