Electron-microscopic investigations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-like immunoreactive terminal formations in the lateral septum of the pigeon |
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Authors: | Kanjun Hirunagi Kentaro Kiyoshi Akihito Adachi Minoru Hasegawa Shizufumi Ebihara Horst-W Korf |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Nagoya University, Chikusa, 464-01 Nagoya, Japan;(2) Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Nagoya University, Chikusa, 464-01 Nagoya, Japan;(3) Center of Morphology, Section Neurobiology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt/Main, Germany |
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Abstract: | Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-like immunoreactive terminal fields were examined in the lateral septum of the pigeon by means of immunocytochemistry. According to light-microscopic observations, these projections originated from VIP-like immunoreactive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-contacting neurons, which are located in the ependymal layer of the lateral septum and form a part of the lateral septal organ. The processes of these cells gave rise to dense terminal-like structures in the lateral septum. Pre-embedding immuno-electron microscopy revealed that VIP-like immunoreactive axon terminals had synaptoid contacts with perikarya of small VIP-immunonegative neurons of the lateral septum, which were characterized by an invaginated nucleus, numerous mitochondria, a well-developed Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum and a small number of dense-core vesicles (about 100 nm in diameter). VIP-like immunoreactive axons were also seen in contact with immunonegative dendrites in the lateral septum. In both axosomatic and axodendritic connections, VIP-like immunoreactive presynaptic terminals contained large dense-core vesicles, clusters of small vesicles and mitochondria. These findings suggest that VIP-immunoreactive neurons of the lateral septal organ project to small, presumably peptidergic nerve cells of the lateral septum and that the VIP-like neuropeptide serves as a neuromodulator (-transmitter) in this area. |
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Keywords: | Cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) Immuno-electron microscopy Lateral septum Pigeon |
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