title: Immunohistochemical properties of motoneurons supplying the trapezius muscle in the rat.
abstract: Combined retrograde tracing (using fluorescent tracer Fast blue) and double-labelling immunofluorescence were used to study the distribution and immunohistochemical characteristics of neurons projecting to the trapezius muscle in mature male rats (n = 9). As revealed by retrograde tracing, Fast blue-positive (FB+) neurons were located within the ambiguous nucleus and accessory nucleus of the grey matter of the spinal cord. Immunohistochemistry revealed that nearly all the neurons were cholinergic in nature [choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-positive]. Retrogradely labelled neurons displayed also immunoreactivities to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP; approximately 60% of FB+ neurons), nitric oxide synthase (NOS; 50%), substance P (SP; 35%), Leu5-Enkephalin (LEnk; 10%) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP; 5%). The analysis of double-stained tissue sections revealed that all CGRP-, VIP- and LEnk-immunoreactive FB+ perikarya were simultaneously ChAT-positive. The vast majority of the neurons expressing SP- or NOS-immunoreactivity were also cholinergic in nature; however, solitary somata were ChAT-negative. FB+ perikarya were surrounded by numerous varicose nerve fibres (often forming basket-like structures) immunoreactive to LEnk or SP. They were also associated with some CGRP-, NOS- and neuropeptide Y-positive nerve terminals.
authors: Department of Animal Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 13 Bldg. 105J, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland. agnieszka.dudek@uwm.edu.pl
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Dudek
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Sienkiewicz
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Marczak
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Kaleczyc
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens