PubMed1995
The presence and pattern of coexistence of catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes and some neuropeptides in nerve fibres supplying thoraco-cranial arteries of the sexually immature gilts were investigated in whole mount preparations. The studied substances included: tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (D beta H) (as markers of catecholaminergic nerve fibres), neuropeptide Y (NPY), Leu5-enkephalin (LENK), vasoactive intestinal polipeptide (VIP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), galanin (GAL), somatostatin (SOM) and serotonin (5-HT). The arteries were found to be richly supplied by TH/D beta H-immunoreactive (TH/D beta H) nerve fibers. Of the neuropeptides studied, NPY (rich innervation), LENK (moderate innervation), VIP (moderate innervation) and CGRP, SP, GAL (only a few nerve fibres) were detected in periarterial nerves. The following patterns of coexistence of the studied substances were found: TH+/D beta H+, TH+/D beta H+/NPY+, TH+/D beta H+/LENK+, TH-/D beta H-/NPY+, TH-/D beta H-/VIP+, TH+/D beta H+/VIP+ (only a few nerve fibres in the cerebral arteries), LENK+/NPY+, LENK-/NPY+, LENK+/NPY-. No SOM and 5-HT-positive structures were observed in the porcine blood vessels.