Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.1.1.7 (acetylcholinesterase)
 28,390 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and its binding sites in the bulbocavernosus, a striated muscle, are reported. We used immunohistochemistry and [125I]CGRP autoradiography. The pattern of [125I]CGRP binding was restricted to a discrete band that coincides with the distribution of end-plates in this muscle as determined by CGRP immunohistochemistry and acetylcholinesterase staining. CGRP has been shown to increase the level of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) alpha-subunit mRNA. The role of CGRP as the endogenous factor by which motoneurons regulate the expression of junctional AChR is discussed.
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PMID:Localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide and its receptors in a striated muscle. 255

Although a well-developed plexus of nerves and ganglia is known to be present in the wall of the gallbladder, little has previously been learned about the function or organization of this innervation. The current study was undertaken in order to evaluate the hypothesis that the ganglionated plexus of the gallbladder is analogous to elements of the enteric nervous system (ENS). The ganglionated plexus of the gallbladder was found to resemble closely the submucosal plexus of the small intestine in its organization into two irregular anastomosing and interwoven networks of ganglia, in the numbers of neurons per ganglion, and in the manifestation of histochemically demonstrable acetylcholinesterase activity in virtually all ganglion cells. In common with enteric ganglia, laminin immunoreactivity was observed to be excluded from the interiors of gallbladder ganglia, which were surrounded by a periganglionic laminin-immunoreactive sheath. As in the submucosal plexus, intrinsic substance P-, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-, and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-immunoreactive neurons were seen in the ganglionated plexus of the gallbladder. Extrinsic nerves in the gallbladder that degenerated following chemical sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), and which contained NPY, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) immunoreactivities, formed a perivascular plexus closely associated with blood vessels. Endogenous catecholamines could also be demonstrated in these perivascular nerves by aldehyde-induced histofluorescence. In addition to perivascular nerves, paravascular nerve bundles were observed that were loosely associated with vessels, did not degenerate following administration of 6-OHDA, and contained NPY immunoreactivity. Other paravascular nerves, probably visceral sensory axons, coexpressed substance P and calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivities. The ganglionated plexus of the gallbladder resembled enteric ganglia in having intrinsic 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-immunoreactive cells and highly varicose nerve fibers. The 5-HT-immunoreactive gallbladder axons were, like those of the gut, resistant to 6-OHDA, and separate from fibers that expressed TH immunoreactivity. Differences between the ganglionated plexus of the gallbladder and enteric ganglia of the small intestine included in the gallbladder are 1) the presence of TH-immunoreactive cells that contain an endogenous catecholamine, but not DBH; 2) DBH-immunoreactive neurons, some of which coexpress substance P immunoreactivity, but which contain neither a catecholamine nor TH immunoreactivity; 3) an apparent absence of CGRP-immunoreactive cell bodies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Structure, afferent innervation, and transmitter content of ganglia of the guinea pig gallbladder: relationship to the enteric nervous system. 256 71

The efferent neurons of the gerbil vestibular system were investigated by retrograde tracing techniques and cytochemical staining for acetylcholinesterase (AChE), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and a number of peptides. The location, bilateral distribution, cell area and number of neurons in two identified groups of retrogradely labelled cells were described and quantified. The larger of the two groups was located dorsolateral to the facial nerve genu, ventral and medial to the vestibular nuclei. Unilateral tracer injection in the vestibular end organs labelled cells bilaterally in this and the smaller group, which was located immediately ventral to the genu. No cells were found that individually projected bilaterally to both labyrinths. After injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the utricle or saccule, significantly more cells were located on the contralateral side of the brainstem. The average (+/- SD) cross sectional area of labelled cell bodies associated with the otolith organs was 259.8 (+/- 75.2) microns 2. ChAT immunoreactive and AChE positive cells were found in an area coextensive with the location of the dorsal efferent group. In double-labelling studies, cell bodies in the same group that had been retrogradely labelled with a utricular injection of HRP, were immunocytochemically stained for calcitonin gene-related peptide and met-enkephalin. In contrast, the ventral group of efferents did not have cells that were cytochemically stained for either of the acetylcholine-related enzymes or either peptide. The significance of the existence of peptidergic vestibular efferent neurons is discussed.
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PMID:Identification of vestibular efferent neurons in the gerbil: histochemical and retrograde labelling. 259 41

The paracervical ganglia of the female rat were studied to elucidate the variety of neural elements in the ganglia. Light and electron microscopy, histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry were employed to reveal subtypes of neurons; small, intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells; and nerve terminals and to examine the relationships between these elements. On the basis of their histochemical markers, four subtypes of principal neurons were identified: acetylcholinesterase (ACHE)-positive, noradrenergic, neuropeptide tyrosine-immunoreactive (NPY-I), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive (VIP-I). The NPY-I neurons appeared to be the most numerous and the noradrenergic the least common type of neuron. Four subtypes of chemically coded SIF cells were revealed: catecholamine-containing, NPY-I, and those immunoreactive for calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP-I) and cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8-I). The SIF cells were present as single cells among and adjacent to principal neurons and as large clusters near the edges of the ganglia or in nearby nerve trunks. Synaptic contacts on SIF cells, or between SIF-cell processes and neurons, were not observed. Seven subtypes of nerve terminals were stained: ACHE-positive, CGRP-I, CCK-8-I, VIP-I, substance P-I, enkephalin-I, and atrial natriuretic factor-I. Nerve terminals enwrapped the neurons as perineuronal plexuses in synaptic-like relationships. These results demonstrate that the paracervical ganglia of the female rat are a complex system of neural elements. For example, several classes of chemically coded neurons, SIF cells, and terminals exist in the ganglia. Each of these components contains a number of substances, some of which are putative neurotransmitters, which could influence activity in the ganglia or in the effector organs innervated by the ganglia.
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PMID:Paracervical ganglia of the female rat: histochemistry and immunohistochemistry of neurons, SIF cells, and nerve terminals. 288 3

The immunohistochemical localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), Neurotensin (NT), cholecystokinin (CCK), Neuropeptide Y (NPY), and calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) in rat Harderian glands was examined. Numerous VIP- and CCK-like immunoreactive nerves were found in close apposition to the acini. Sparse numbers of NT-, NPY-, and CGRP-like immunoreactive nerves were observed in close proximity to the acini and blood vessels. Some VIP-like immunoreactive nerves were shown to be co-localized with acetylcholinesterase-positive cholinergic nerves.
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PMID:Peptidergic innervation of the rat Harderian gland. 288 42

The laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (ntdl) contains a cluster of cells located just medial to the locus coeruleus in the pontine brainstem. The ntdl has been shown to project both rostrally to the forebrain and diencephalon and caudally to the spinal cord. In an effort to characterize this region neurochemically, the present study was conducted to identify a variety of neurochemicals localized within perikarya and fibers of the ntdl and surrounding nuclei. Rats were perfused with formalin, and brain sections were processed for fluorescence immunocytochemistry and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Of the neurochemicals screened, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), cholecystokinin (CCK), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), dynorphin B (Dyn B), galanin, somatostatin, substance P, neurotensin (NT), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasopressin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), serotonin (5HT), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) were studied. AChE and ChAT staining revealed that the ntdl contains mostly cholinergic neurons. In addition, brightly reactive substance P and galanin and paler staining CRF, ANF, CGRP, NT, VIP, and Dyn B cell bodies were found within the ntdl. Varicose fibers in this nucleus also contained these peptides in addition to CCK, GAD, TH, 5HT, and NPY. The dorsal tegmental nucleus, dorsal raphe nucleus, locus coeruleus, and the parabrachial region contained a dense and varied assortment of peptides with distinct positions and patterns. This multiplicity of neurochemicals within this area suggests a possible influence on a variety of functions modulated by the ntdl and other closely associated tegmental nuclei.
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PMID:Immunocytochemical localization of peptides and other neurochemicals in the rat laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and adjacent area. 289 81

The detailed morphology of pulmonary neuroendocrine (NE) cells has been defined only during the last decade. The purpose of this paper is to review the main morphologic features of the NE cells, to review the methods and techniques used for their identification, and to discuss the development and functional significance of these cells. The main emphasis is on NE cells in human lung, but where appropriate, studies in animal lungs are also included. NE cells are present in the airway epithelium of human and various animal species and occur singly as well as in clusters called neuroepithelial bodies (NEB). The general cytochemical features (common to both single NE cells and NEB) include cytoplasmic argyrophilia, fluorogenic amine content, positive staining with lead-hematoxylin, and masked metachromasia. These staining properties are similar to those found in APUD cells scattered in various tissues. More specific cell markers are immunoreactivity to peptide hormones (bombesin, calcitonin, leu-enkephalin) identified so far in NE cells of human lung, and immunoreactivity to serotonin found in both human and animal lungs. At the ultrastructural level, NE cells are characterized by the presence of cytoplasmic dense core granules (90-150 nm in diameter), which are considered the storage site of amine and peptide hormones. The distinctive feature of NEB, not found with single NE cells, is the presence of nonmyelinated nerve endings in contact with granulated cells, and positive staining for acetylcholinesterase. The single NE cells are scattered throughout the tracheobronchial epithelium, whereas NEB are found only within the intrapulmonary airways. In postnatal lungs, both the single NE cells and NEB appear concentrated in small peripheral airways. In developing human lung, the first NE cells appear at 8 weeks' gestation, when all other epithelial cells are still undifferentiated. The development and cytodifferentiation of NE cells progresses in a centrifugal direction. By the end of the glandular period, single and groups of NE cells are found along the entire length of primitive bronchial epithelium. Based on differences in the size and morphology of cytoplasmic granules, three distinct types of NE cells can be recognized. During terminal stages of development, NE cells appear in small peripheral airways and primitive saccules. The functional considerations include the possible role of NE cells as endocrine, paracrine, or receptosecretory cells involved in neurohormonal regulation of pulmonary vascular or bronchial responses, and possible function of NEB as intrapulmonary hypoxia-sensitive chemoreceptors.
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PMID:Neuroendocrine cells of the lung. An overview of morphologic characteristics and development. 618 5

Neuron specific enolase (NSE), an isoenzyme of the glycolytic enzyme enolase, has been established by immunocytochemical means as a marker of morphological and functional maturation in central neurons and appears late in development. However, little is known about the presence of NSE in developing peripheral neurons and endocrine cells and its relationship to the development of classical neurotransmitters and peptides. We therefore investigated the appearance of NSE immunoreactivity in nerves and mucosal endocrine cells of the human respiratory tract in foetal, neonatal and adult life. NSE was found to be present in neuroblasts, nerve fibres and endocrine cells from the earliest period of gestation examined (8 weeks), before the appearance of acetylcholinesterase activity (10-12 weeks), dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (20 weeks), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (20 weeks) or calcitonin (20 weeks). Bombesin-like immunoreactivity was found in a small proportion of mucosal endocrine cells as early as eight weeks in the foetal respiratory tract. These findings indicate that unlike central neurons and their processes, peripheral neurons of the lung contain NSE immunoreactivity well before full maturation and establishment of synaptic contact with end organs.
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PMID:Neuron specific enolase: a marker for the early development of nerves and endocrine cells in the human lung. 636 60

The stimulatory effect of calcitonin on cerebral acetylcholinesterase activity could not be observed in rats pretreated with p-chlorophenylalanine. The results suggest that the response of the enzyme activity to calcitonin is 5-hydroxytryptamine-mediated.
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PMID:Stimulation of cerebral acetylcholinesterase activity by calcitonin: a possible mediation by 5-hydroxytryptamine. 644 20

Endogenous calcitonin was altered in rats by thyroparathyroidectomy, followed by supplementation with thyroxine and calcium. As a result, a reduction in the content of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain together with an increase in the concentration of tryptophan in the plasma were observed. The changes were accompanied by a diminution in the activity of both choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase in the cerebral hemispheres. The results are consistent with those produced by exogenous hormone and suggest that calcitonin probably plays a role in the regulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine levels in the brain.
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PMID:Response of rat brain to calcitonin alteration. 709 70


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