Publication: Distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide and calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactive nerve fibers and binding sites in the hamster seminal vesicle during post-natal development
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Date
1999
Authors
Afonso, F. ; Pinho, M.S. ; Fernandes, P. ; Mata, L.R. ; Gulbenkian, S.
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Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
The distribution of vasoactive intestinal
peptide (VIP)- and calcitonin gene-related peptide
(CGRP)-immunoreactive nerves and 125~-labeledV IPand
CGRP-binding sites was studied in the hamster
seminal vesicle of 12-, 30- and 60-day-old animals. In
addition, the general innervation of the seminal vesicle
was examined using the general neuronal marker
synaptophysin.
Our results show that the densities of the overall
(synaptophysin immunoreactive) and CGRP-immunoreactive
innervation is constant during the post-natal
development of the gland. However, a significant
decrease in VIP-containing nerves is observed at the end
of puberty. The autoradiographic study revealed that in
12-day-old animals, the epithelium presents VIP binding
sites. However, in 30-day-old animals, VIP binding sites
are observed in the epithelium of only a few clumps of
acini. In 60-day-old animals, the gland is composed of
acini with dilated lumina where VIP binding sites are not
detected. In all groups studied the epithelium does not
exhibit CGRP binding sites. The seminal vesicle muscle
layer displays specific binding sites for both VIP and
CGRP at all post-natal developmental times, but the
density of VIP binding sites is higher in 12- than in 30-
and 60-day-old animals.
Our results, showing the presence of specific VIP and CGRP binding sites during the development of the
hamster seminal vesicle, suggest that these neuropeptides
may be involved in the growth and differentiation
of the gland.
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