Somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in human sympathetic ganglia

Abstract

The localization of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SOM-LI) was examined in human lumbar sympathetic ganglia using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Few of the principal neurons showed immunolabelling for somatostatin and sparse networks of nerve terminals were unevenly associated with ganglion cells. Using light microscopy, the most intense SOM-LI was seen in the perinuclear zone of the neurons. Electron-microscopically, the staining was localized on the membranes of the Golgi apparatuses. In the nerve terminals, SOM-LI was seen inside the small vesicles (40-60 nm diameter). All neurons with SOM-LI were also found to be tyrosine-hydroxylase immunoreactive when examined with a double-staining technique. These results provide evidence that somatostatin and noradrenaline co-exist in human sympathetic neurons.

Localization, regulation and functions of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in cervical sympathetic ganglia

“…SOM immunoreactivity in sympathetic ganglia occurs mainly throughout development (Maxwell et al, 1984;New and Mudge, 1986). In adults, only few TH-positive neurons in the SCG of rat (Hokfelt et al, 1977a;Leranth et al, 1980) and man (Jarvi et al, 1987) contain SOM immunoreactivity, sometimes forming clusters of cells (Baffi et al, 1992). Larger numbers of SOM-immunoreactive PGN have been observed in the guinea pig (Leranth et al, 1980) and pig SCG (Lacroix et al, 1992).…”

The Spinal Nerves

“…The great majority of paravertebral ganglion neurons are adrenergic (Jarvi and Pelto-Huikko, 1990;Tajti et al, 1999). They also contain acetylcholine, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, galanin, neuropeptide Y, nitric oxide, somatostatin, tyrosine hydroxylase, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) (Jarvi et al, 1987;Schmitt et al, 1988, Lindh et al, 1989Jarvi and Pelto-Huikko, 1990;Baffi et al, 1992;Dun et al, 1992Dun et al, , 1993Benarroch, 1994;Vizzard et al, 1994;Tajti et al, 1999;Zhou and Ling, 1999). Although the sympathetic ganglia were formerly accepted merely as relay stations for the transfer of information from the central nervous system to the periphery, it is now known that signals traveling along the preganglionic nerve fibers are distributed, integrated, and/or modified here (deGroat and Saum, 1976;Burnstock et al, 1987;Gibbins et al, 2000;Myers, 2001).…”