title: Morphological changes induced by neuropeptide in vitro stimulation of the rat parotid gland.
abstract: The effect of in vitro stimulation of rat parotid gland with the neuropeptides substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide and galanin has been studied by microfilament fluorescence staining and in semithin sections, and compared to control incubations and in vitro stimulation with beta-adrenergic and muscarinic agonists. Clear-cut aspects of massive granule exocytosis and cytoplasm vacuolation, indicative of protein and fluid secretion respectively, were obvious only after substance P stimulation, whereas treatment with galanin and calcitonin gene-related peptide produced little to no morphological changes. The results being in agreement with the outcome of other methodological approaches, these procedures appear reliable, may be effectively applied to the study of the functional regulation of secretory mechanisms, and may be particularly useful in human tissue analyses.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Citomorfologia, Università di Cagliari, Cittadella universitaria di Monserrato, Monserrato (CA), Italy. dfiacco@unica.it
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Fiacco
authors.forename: M Serenella
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lantini
authors.forename: M Pina
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quartu
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019004:Galanin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013373:Substance P / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D009479:Neuropeptides; D013373:Substance P; D019004:Galanin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide