Journal article
Ultrastructure of endomorphin-1 immunoreactivity in the rat dorsal pontine tegmentum: evidence for preferential targeting of peptidergic neurons in Barrington's nucleus rather than catecholaminergic neurons in the peri-locus coeruleus
Journal of comparative neurology (1911), v 448(3), pp 268-279
01 Jul 2002
PMID: 12115708
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Abstract
Endomorphins are opioid tetrapeptides that have high affinity and selectivity for mu-opioid receptors (muORs). Light microscopic studies have shown that endomorphin-1 (EM-1) -containing fibers are distributed within the brainstem dorsal pontine tegmentum. Here, immunoelectron microscopy was conducted in the rat brainstem to identify potential cellular interactions between EM-1 and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) -labeled cellular profiles in the locus coeruleus (LC) and peri-LC, an area known to contain extensive noradrenergic dendrites of LC neurons. Furthermore, sections through the rostral dorsal pons, from colchicine-treated rats, were processed for EM-1 and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), a neuropeptide known to be present in neurons of Barrington's nucleus. EM-1 immunoreactivity was identified in unmyelinated axons, axon terminals, and occasionally in cellular profiles resembling glial processes. Within axon terminals, peroxidase labeling for EM-1 was enriched in large dense core vesicles. In sections processed for EM-1 and TH, approximately 10% of EM-1-containing axon terminals (n=269) targeted dendrites that exhibited immunogold-silver labeling for TH. In contrast, approximately 30% of EM-1-labeled axon terminals analyzed (n = 180) targeted CRF-containing somata and dendrites in Barrington's nucleus. Taken together, these data indicate that the modulation of nociceptive and autonomic function as well as stress and arousal responses attributed to EM-1 in the central nervous system may arise, in part, from direct actions on catecholaminergic neurons in the peri-LC. However, the increased frequency with which EM-1 axon terminals form synapses with CRF-containing profiles in Barrington's nucleus suggests a novel role for EM-1 in the modulation of functions associated with Barrington's nucleus neurons such as micturition control and pelvic visceral function.
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Details
- Title
- Ultrastructure of endomorphin-1 immunoreactivity in the rat dorsal pontine tegmentum: evidence for preferential targeting of peptidergic neurons in Barrington's nucleus rather than catecholaminergic neurons in the peri-locus coeruleus
- Creators
- James F Peoples - Thomas Jefferson UniversityMartin W WessendorfTracy PierceElisabeth J Van Bockstaele
- Publication Details
- Journal of comparative neurology (1911), v 448(3), pp 268-279
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Grant note
- DA 09082 / NIDA NIH HHS DA 09642 / NIDA NIH HHS
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Pharmacology and Physiology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000175864000004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-0036642874
- Other Identifier
- 991021903287204721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Neurosciences
- Zoology