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Presence and distribution of 5HT-, VIP-, NPY-, and SP-immunoreactive structures in adult mouse lung
C. Verástegui, J. Fernández-Vivero, A.
Prada, F. Rodríguez, A. Romero, M. González-Moreno and J.M.
de Castro
Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine. University of Cadiz, Spain
Offprint requests to: Cristina Verastegui, Departamento de Ciencias Morfol6gicas, Facultad de Medicina, Plaza Fragela sIn 11003 Cadiz,
Spain
Summary. A large number of biologically active
substances have been identified and characterised in the
respiratory tract of several mammals. These substances
(amines and peptides) exert important regulatory
influences on respiratory functions, and they act as
neurotransmitters/neuromodulators, both being released
from nerve terminals as neuroendocrine cells. However,
these substances can also have other effects which
suggest a paracrine action. Thus, to understand the role
of amines and peptides in the lung, it is important to
explore their localisation in different species. By using
immunocytochemical staining methods we have studied
the morphology and distribution of serotonin-, Substance
P-, neuropeptide Y- and VIP-like immunoreactivity in
the adult mouse lung. Moreover a pretreatment with
colchicine, pargyline and 5-hydroxytryptophan as
staining enlargement method was made. A widespread
distribution of isolated endocrine cells and neuroepithelial
bodies containing 5HT-like immunoreactivity
was recorded within the lung. NPY-like immunoreactive
nerve fibres were localised in the airway smooth muscle
and surrounding the blood vessels. VIP-like
immunoreactivity was revealed in single cells as well as
in some nerve fibres and ganglia around the blood
vessels and in the bronchial smooth muscle. SP-like IR
was observed in nerve fibres located in the smooth
muscle of the airways, surrounding bronchi and
bronchioli but not next to the intrapulmonary blood
vessels. Their localisation both in cells and nerve fibres
of the respiratory system suggests that they playa role in
the regulatory function of the mouse respiratory tract,
exerting their influence by endocrine, paracrine,
neurosecretory pathways or a combination of all of
these. Histol Histopathol 12, 909-918 (1997)
Key words: Serotonin, Substance P, Neuropeptide Y,
Vasoactive intestinal peptide, Lung
DOI: 10.14670/HH-12.909
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