Immunohistochemical mapping of neurophysins and calcitonin gene-related peptide in the human brainstem and cervical spinal cord

doi:10.1016/0891-0618(91)90020-D

Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy

Volume 4, Issue 4, July–August 1991, Pages 299-309

https://doi.org/10.1016/0891-0618(91)90020-D Get rights and content

Abstract

Our study investigates the distribution of neurophysins (Nph), proteins that are part of the precursors for vasopressin and oxytocin, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the human brainstem by immunohistochemistry. Both peptides were found in discrete regions of the human hindbrain. Nph could be demonstrated exclusively in fibers and punctate perineural varicosities that were travelling within the mesencephalic central gray, substantia nigra, as well as locus coeruleus, medial longitudinal fascicle, raphe, nucleus of the solitary tract, lateral reticular nucleus and area postrema. A few varicosities were seen in the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal trigeminal tract and its continuation into the dorsal horn of the cervical spinal cord. In contrast to these observations, CGRP-immunoreactive fibers were found to be densest in the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve and the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. In addition, fibers and varicosities could be demonstrated in numerous distinct brain regions, such as locus coeruleus and subcoeruleus, solitary tract, cuneate nucleus, raphe and periaqueductal gray. CGRP-immunoreactivity was also present in perikarya in the ventral horn of the spinal cord, as well as motor nuclei of cranial nerves, i.e. hypoglossal nucleus, ambiguus nucleus. Our results suggest that Nph-immunoreactivity in the human brainstem may be present predominantly within long fiber projections from hypothalamic neurosecretory nuclei, in analogy to data obtained from rodents, whereas CGRP may play a role in the branchiomotor system as well as in intrinsic or extrinsic projections involved in autonomic regulation and integration of sensory information.

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Immunohistochemical mapping of neurophysins and calcitonin gene-related peptide in the human brainstem and cervical spinal cord

Abstract

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Peptides

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Regul. Pept.

Brain Res.

Brain Research

Neurosci. Lett.

Brain Res.

Neuroscience

Brain Res.

Neuroscience

Brain Research

Neuroscience

Peptides

Neurosci. Lett.

Neuroscience

Neurosci. Lett.

Brain Res.

Peptides

Distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity in the medulla oblongata of the cat, in relation to choline aeetyltransferase-immunoreactive motoneurones and substance P-immunoreactive fibres

J. Chem. Neuroanat.

Human brain calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is concentrated in the locus coeruleus

Neuropeptides

Über die Kerngebiete des menschlichen Hirnstammes, I. Oliva inferior, Nucleus conterminalis und Nucleus vermiformis corporis restiformis

Z. Zellforsch.

Über die Kerngebiete des menschlichen Hirnstammes, IV. Der Nucleus reticularis lateralis und seine Satelliten

Z. Zellforsch.

Evidence for unmyelinated sensory fibers in human dorsal funiculi

Brain

Regional distribution of putative vasopressin receptors in rat brain and pituitary by quantitative autoradiography

Intra- and extrahypothalamic vasopressin and oxytocin pathways in the rat

Cell Tissue Res.

Vasopressin immunoreactive cells in the rat dorsomedial hypothalamic region, medial amygdaloid nucleus and locus coeruleus

Cell Tissue Res.