Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript-Immunoreactivity in the Rat Sympatho-Adrenal Axis
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-7-2000
Description
Distribution of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript-like immunoreactivity (CART-LI) was studied in the rat spinal cord, sympathetic ganglia and adrenal glands by immunohistochemical methods, utilizing a polyclonal antiserum raised against the CART peptide fragment 55-102. CART-LI was detected in nerve fibers and in basket-like terminals surrounding many postganglionic neurons of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG), stellate, paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia. Postganglionic neurons exhibited low or non-detectable levels of CART-LI. Surgical sectioning of the cervical sympathetic trunk for 6-7 days resulted in a nearly complete loss of CART-LI fibers and terminals in the SCG. In the adrenal gland, CART-LI nerve fibers formed a plexus underneath the capsule, some of which bifurcated and made a sharp turn toward the adrenal medulla, where clusters of chromaffin cells were intensely labeled. The detection of CART-LI in sympathetic ganglia and adrenal glands extends the previous observation of the presence of CART-LI in sympathetic preganglionic neurons and further supports the notion that CART peptide(s) may function as a signaling molecule in the sympatho-adrenal axis.
Citation Information
Dun, N. J.; Dun, S. L.; Kwok, E. H.; Yang, J.; and Chang, J. K.. 2000. Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript-Immunoreactivity in the Rat Sympatho-Adrenal Axis. Neuroscience Letters. Vol.283(2). 97-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(00)00935-6 PMID: 10739884 ISSN: 0304-3940