Abstract
The presence and ontogenetic distribution of histamine was studied in the developing peripheral nervous system of the rat by using an indirect immunofluorescence technique and a specific rabbit anti-histamine antiserum. Histamine immunoreactivity (IR) first appeared in peripheral nerves on embryonic day 14. The number and intensity of histamine-immunoreactive nerves was highest on embryonic days 16–18. During development starting from embryonic day 14, motoneurones in ventral horns of the spinal cord at cervical, thoracic and lumbar levels contained histamine IR. A subpopulation of sensory neurones in dorsal root ganglia exhibited histamine IR. Histamine IR was also present in nerve fibres of ventral and dorsal roots of spinal cord, as well as in spinal nerves. Population of neurones and nerve fibres in sympathetic and pelvic ganglia as well as in myenteric ganglia of the intestine were also labelled with the histamine antiserum. In peripheral target organs, histamine IR was observed in nerve fibres around bronchi of the lungs, in the atria of the heart, in the adrenal gland, in the intestinal wall, in muscular tissues and in subepithelial tissue of the skin.
The results of this study indicate that histamine is widely distributed in different types of neurones and nerve fibres of the developing peripheral nervous system.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
E. Werle,Histamine in nerves. InCIBA foundation symposium on histamine. (Eds. G. E. W. Wolstenholme and C. M. O'Connor) pp 264–269, Churchill, London 1956.
M. J. Ryan and M. J. Brody,Distribution of histamine in the canine autonomic nervous system. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.174, 123–132 (1970).
O. Häppölä, S. Soinila, H. Päivärinta, P. Panula and O. Eränkö,Histamine-immunoreactive cells in the superior cervical ganglion and in the coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex of the rat. Histochemistry82, 1–3 (1985).
P. Panula, O. Häppölä, M. S. Airaksinen, S. Auvinen and A. Virkamäki,Carbodiimide as a tissue fixative in histamine immunochemistry and its application in developmental neurobiology. J. Histochem. Cytochem.36, 259–269 (1988).
S. M. MacDonald, M. Mezei and C. Mezei,Effect of Wallerian degeneration on histamine concentration of the peripheral nerve. J. Neurochem.36, 9–16 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Häppölä, O., Ahonen, M. & Panula, P. Distribution of histamine in the developing peripheral nervous system. Agents and Actions 33, 112–115 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01993141
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01993141