There are few catecholamine- or neuropeptide Y-containing synapses in the intermediolateral cell column of rat thoracic spinal cord

I J Llewellyn-Smith; J B Minson; P M Pilowsky; J P Chalmers

doi:10.1111/j.1440-1681.1991.tb01418.x

There are few catecholamine- or neuropeptide Y-containing synapses in the intermediolateral cell column of rat thoracic spinal cord

Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 1991 Feb;18(2):111-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1681.1991.tb01418.x.

Authors

I J Llewellyn-Smith¹, J B Minson, P M Pilowsky, J P Chalmers

Affiliation

¹ Centre for Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia.

PMID: 1673651
DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1681.1991.tb01418.x

Abstract

1. A quantitative electron microscopic immunocytochemical technique was used to assess the number of synapses immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), phenylethanolamine N-methyl-transferase (PNMT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the intermediolateral cell column in segments T2 and T3 of rat thoracic spinal cord. 2. TH synapses comprised about 5%; PNMT synapses 1-2%; and NPY synapses 1-2% of the total number of synapses in the intermediolateral cell column. All three types of synapses were predominantly or exclusively on dendrites. 3. Our results suggest that catecholamine/NPY neurons may not provide a major synaptic input to sympathetic preganglionic neurons in rat upper thoracic spinal cord.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Immunohistochemistry
Male
Neuropeptide Y / analysis*
Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / analysis*
Rats
Rats, Inbred WKY
Spinal Cord / chemistry
Spinal Cord / ultrastructure*
Synapses / chemistry*
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / analysis*

Substances

Neuropeptide Y
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase