title: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunoreactive vagal sensory neurons innervating the gastrointestinal tract of the rat.
abstract: We have determined whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunoreactive (BDNF-ir) neurons in the vagal ganglia innervate the gastrointestinal tract. Many BDNF-ir neurons were medium in size and located throughout the jugular and nodose ganglia. When Fluorogold was injected into the wall of the cervical esophagus, many retrogradely Fluorogold-labeled neurons were found in both the jugular ganglion and the nodose ganglion. When Fluorogold was injected into the body of the stomach or applied to the cut end of the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve, numerous Fluorogold-labeled neurons were found mostly in the nodose ganglion. Double-labeling combining immunohistochemistry for BDNF and retrograde tracing with Fluorogold showed that more than 90% of the neurons in the jugular ganglion and the nodose ganglion projecting to the cervical esophagus contained BDNF-like immunoreactivity. In the cases of both Fluorogold injection into the stomach and Fluorogold application to the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve, almost all Fluorogold-labeled neurons in the nodose ganglion contained BDNF-like immunoreactivity. These results indicated that almost all vagal sensory neurons located in either the jugular ganglion or the nodose ganglion that innervate the gastrointestinal tract are BDNF-ir neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Hyogo College of Medicine, Mukogawa, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan. Electronic address: tetsu@hyo-med.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Hyogo College of Medicine, Mukogawa, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuwahara-Otani
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Hyogo College of Medicine, Mukogawa, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Seishi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Hyogo College of Medicine, Mukogawa, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Hyogo College of Medicine, Mukogawa, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000294:innervation*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
keywords: Double-labeling method; Immunohistochemistry; Jugular ganglion; Nodose ganglion; Retrograde tracing; Vagal sensory neurons