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Peptide-immunoreactive nerves in the mammalian female genital tract

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Summary

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, substance P, neuropeptide Y and peptide histidine isoleucine immunoreactivities have been demonstrated in the female genitalia of rat, cat, mouse and guinea-pig using immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay. They were localized to nerves. Each type of immunoreactive nerve showed a distinct pattern of distribution, though all were associated to some degree with blood vessels and smooth muscle. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive and neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive nerves were the most abundant. Higher concentrations of peptides were detected in the female genitalia of the mouse than those of the other species studied. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive nerves were particularly concentrated in the cervix (89.1±17.2 pmol/g, mean±S.E.M.) and the uterus (57.4±14.8 pmol/g) of the mouse, while neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity was more abundant in the Fallopian tube of the mouse (31.6±11.8 pmol/g) and the vagina of the rat (38.6±4.8 pmol/g) than in other regions. Separate populations of ganglion cells in the paracervical ganglia were found to contain vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and neuropeptide Y immunoreactivities. Peptide histidine isoleucine-immunoreactive and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive nerves were similarly distributed, but the former were much less frequent. Substance P-immunoreactive nerves were seen mainly beneath the epithelium of the vagina and were, in general, more numerous in the guinea-pig than in other species. The significance of these peptide-immunoreactive nerves in the female genital organ remains to be determined.

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Author notes

  1. J. Gu

    Present address: Department of Pathology, Peking Medical College, Peking, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Histochemistry and Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Ducane Road, W12 OHS, London, UK

    W. M. Huang, J. Gu, M. A. Blank, J. M. Allen, S. R. Bloom & J. M. Polak

Authors
  1. W. M. Huang
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  2. J. Gu
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  3. M. A. Blank
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  4. J. M. Allen
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  5. S. R. Bloom
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  6. J. M. Polak
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Additional information

Dr. Wang is on leave from The Institute of Acupuncture, The Academy of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Peking, China.

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Huang, W.M., Gu, J., Blank, M.A. et al. Peptide-immunoreactive nerves in the mammalian female genital tract. Histochem J 16, 1297–1310 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003727

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003727

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