Immunohistochemical study of the existence and coexistence of catecholamine synthesizing enzymes and some neuropeptides in perivascular nerve fibres of the main thoraco-cranial arteries in the pig
Sienkiewicz, W.; Majewski, M.; Kaleczyc, J.; Lakomy, M.
Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 33(2): 59-67
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0239-8508 PMID: 8617380 Document Number: 451602
The presence and pattern of coexistence of catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes and some neuropeptides in nerve fibres supplying thoraco-cranial arteries of the sexually immature gilts were investigated in whole mount preparations. The studied substances included: tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (D-beta-H) (as markers of catecholaminergic nerve fibres), neuropeptide Y (NPY), Leu-5-enkephalin (LENK), vasoactive intestinal polipeptide (VIP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), galanin (GAL), somatostatin (SOM) and serotonin (5-HT). The arteries were found to be richly supplied by TH/D-beta-H-immunoreactive (TH/D-beta-H-IR) nerve fibres. Of the neuropeptides studied, NPY (rich innervation), LENK (moderate innervation), VIP (moderate innervation) and CGRP, SP, GAL (only a few nerve fibres) were detected in periarterial nerves. The following patterns of coexistence of the studied substances were found: TH+/D-beta-H+, TH+/D-beta-H+/NPY+, TH+/D-beta-H+/LENK+, TH-/D-beta-H-/NPY+, TH-/D-beta-H-/VIP+, TH+/D-beta-H+/VIP+ (only a few nerve fibres in the cerebral arteries), LENK+/NPY+, LENK-/NPY+, LENK+/NPY-. No SOM and 5-HT-positive structures were observed in the porcine blood vessels.