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Biomedical subjects

S J Gibson

Publications and source records attributed to S J Gibson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Increased calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P, and enkephalin immunoreactivities in dorsal spinal cord and loss of CGRP-immunoreactive motoneurons in arthritic rats depend on intact peripheral nerve supply.

The distribution of peptides thought to be involved in pain modulation--substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and enkephalin--were studied in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of polyarthritic rats and in rats with one sciatic nerve sectioned prior to induction of arthritis. In arthritic rats there was a bilateral increase of CGRP- and substance P-immunoreactive fibers and appearance of enkephalin-immunoreactive cell bodies in the dorsal horn of the lumbar (L4) spinal cord when compared to controls. In the corresponding dorsal root ganglia there were significant increases of CGRP- (P less than 0.02) and substance P- (P less than 0.001) immunoreactive cell bodies compared to controls. In the ventral horn of the control rats CGRP-immunoreactive motoneurons were abundant but were significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced in the arthritic spinal cord. Less pronounced changes were seen in the contralateral L4 spinal cord of arthritic rats with unilateral sciatic nerve section. In the ipsilateral dorsal horn, however, CGRP- and substance P-immunoreactive fibers were markedly depleted, and no enkephalin cell bodies were present. Furthermore, a number of CGRP-immunoreactive motoneurons were observed. In the ipsilateral L4 ganglia CGRP- (P less than 0.02) and substance P- (P less than 0.02) immunoreactive cells were significantly decreased compared to the contralateral side. The data suggest that pain perception is linked to complex interactions between CGRP, substance P, and enkephalin in sensory pathways and an intact peripheral input. The loss of CGRP-immunoreactive motoneurons may reflect muscular dysfunction associated with the arthritic condition.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Regional distribution of mast cells and peptide containing nerves in normal and adjuvant arthritic rat synovium.

Simultaneous visualization of nerves and mast cells in the rat synovium was possible with double staining. Thus, a direct comparison could be made of nerves and mast cells in the ankle joints of healthy rats and in those with severe adjuvant induced polyarthritis. Nerves were studied with avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) immunostaining, using heterologous antisera to protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), a recently discovered neural protein, and the neuropeptides substance P and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP). Mast cells were visualized by metachromatic staining of granule heparin. With double staining of sections, a parallel distribution of mast cells and nerves in all parts of the normal synovium was noted. In rats with adjuvant induced arthritis, a near total parallel disappearance of mast cells and nerves in the synovium occurred. In the arthritic rat such mast cell/nerve "units" were only present in the region where synovium attaches to bone. The observed regional depletion of both nerves and mast cells in arthritis may be of importance in the pathophysiology of arthritis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The distribution of peptide-containing nerves in the synovia of the cat knee joint.

Synovial capsule in cats is extensively innervated by a network with axonal diameter ranging from 0.6-3 microns according to its position and neuropeptide content. Nerve markers such as Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) and Neurofilament triplet protein (NF) could be observed only when the axonal fibre attained a critical diameter of over the 3 microns limit. The relatively thick fibres (1-3 microns) show positive immunoreactivity for Substance P (SP), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP), and seldom coreact with NSE and NF, whereas, the thinnest fibres (0.6-0.8 microns) characterized to contain either Methionine or Leucine Enkephalin (M-Enk, L-Enk) did not coreact positively with axonal markers. We found that different anesthetics may effect variably the immunoreactivity of some neuropeptides (SP, L-Enk, 5-HT) while others (VIP, M-Enk) remained unaffected. Based on our data and the few reported ones in the pertinent literature, it is judged that urethane is the anesthetic of choice in experimental studies of neuropeptides. Our findings of isolated positive immunoreactive cell bodies to enkephalin in synovia might suggest the presence of intrinsic relay system, where the enkephalin acts as suppressor of SP and VIP release from the sunovium nerve terminals. Such a local inter-relationship between different neuropeptide systems might have a practical role on the understanding of the pathogenesis of different arthritic processes as well as therapeutic strategy in the future.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Studies of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide expression in injured peripheral neurons using capsaicin, sympathectomy and mf mutant rats.

The increased expression of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in injured peripheral neurons was studied. In contrast to substance P, there was a marked increase, and maintained fast axonal transport, of VIP in rat sciatic nerve after peripheral axotomy. Local capsaicin application to the nerve trunk failed to inhibit the injury-induced VIP increase, and capsaicin even increased VIP levels when applied locally to uninjured nerves. Pharmacological sympathectomy showed that some of the peripheral VIP increase may occur in post-ganglionic sympathetic fibres. The VIP increase after injury appeared unaffected in the mf mutant rat, in spite of its loss of lumbar dorsal root ganglion cells. VIP-staining fibres in the epi- and peri-neurium and perivascular plexuses of sciatic nerve showed an increase in number in parallel with the changes of the nerve VIP content. These findings suggest that sensory and sympathetic nerve fibres expressing VIP after injury play a role in the regulation of blood flow to nerves, and in the pathophysiological processes in nerve and dorsal spinal cord which follow peripheral nerve injury.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Origins and projections of peptide-immunoreactive nerves in the male rat genitofemoral nerve.

Following injection of retrograde tracer to one genitofemoral nerve of male rats, motoneurones and dorsal root ganglion cells of segmental levels L1/L2 were labelled ipsilaterally. Many labelled motoneurones were calcitonin gene-related peptide- (CGRP) immunoreactive. In the ganglia, a proportion of the labelled cells were CGRP-, tachykinin- or galanin-immunoreactive (10%:6%:53% respectively). In comparison with ganglia of the contralateral side, galanin-immunoreactive cells were significantly increased in the ipsilateral ganglia. Unilateral genitofemoral nerve section induced a loss of CGRP- or tachykinin- and an increase of galanin-immunoreactive cells in the ipsilateral L1/L2 ganglia. In the ipsilateral L1/L2 dorsal horn, CGRP and tachykinin, but not galanin, immunoreactivity was reduced. In the cremaster muscle and scrotal skin of either side galanin-immunoreactive fibres were not visible and CGRP- and tachykinin-immunoreactive fibres were depleted in the ipsilateral side. Capsaicin induced a loss of CGRP- and tachykinin-immunoreactive ganglion cells and of CGRP, tachykinin or galanin immunoreactivity from the dorsal horn. In the scrotal skin, CGRP- and tachykinin-immunoreactive fibres were depleted. By contrast in the muscle, a few CGRP-immunoreactive fibres persisted. The data demonstrate that (i) the genitofemoral nerve originates at segmental levels L1/L2; (ii) CGRP- and tachykinin-immunoreactive sensory and CGRP-immunoreactive motor neurones project to the cremaster muscle and scrotal skin; and (iii) nerve pertubation induces an increase of galanin-immunoreactive sensory neurones, the significance of which remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Endothelin: a novel peptide in the posterior pituitary system.

Endothelin (ET), originally characterized as a 21-residue vasoconstrictor peptide from endothelial cells, is present in the porcine spinal cord and may act as a neuropeptide. Endothelin-like immunoreactivity has now been demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclear neurons and their terminals in the posterior pituitary of the pig and the rat. The presence of ET in the porcine hypothalamus was confirmed by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay. Moreover, in situ hybridization demonstrated ET messenger RNA in porcine paraventricular nuclear neurons. Endothelin-like immunoreactive products in the posterior pituitary of the rat were depleted by water deprivation, suggesting a release of ET under physiological conditions. These findings indicate that ET is synthesized in the posterior pituitary system and may be involved in neurosecretory functions.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Time-related decrease of substance P and CGRP in central and peripheral projections of sensory neurones in Mycobacterium leprae infected nude mice: a model for lepromatous leprosy in man.

We have previously shown the depletion of cutaneous calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)- and substance P-containing nerves in human leprosy. The aims of this study were to investigate the temporal effects of leprosy on nerves in skin and spinal cord. Tissues were taken from nude mice, 6 and 12 months after inoculation of Mycobacterium leprae into the hind footpads, and from age-matched controls. Sections were immunostained with antisera to substance P or CGRP. After 6 months of infection, substance P- and CGRP-immunoreactive nerves were reduced in skin from all body areas; by 12 months, the reduction was substantially greater. In the spinal cord, sensory fibres immunoreactive for substance P had decreased compared with controls at 6 and 12 months [by 60 per cent (0.022 mm2) and 80 per cent (0.048 mm2), respectively, P less than 0.001], as with CGRP [30 per cent (0.018 mm2) (P less than 0.02) and 40 per cent (0.028 mm2) (P less than 0.01), respectively]. CGRP immunoreactivity was completely absent in motor neurones after 12 months of infection. Loss of CGRP- and substance P-immunoreactive fibres in skin and spinal cord, and CGRP in motor neurones is in accord with impaired pain sensation and muscle weakness in leprosy.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The immunocytochemical distribution of seven peptides in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of horse and pig.

The distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), enkephalin, galanin, neuropeptide Y (NPY), somatostatin, tachykinins and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was compared in cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral segmental levels of spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of horse and pig. In both species, immunoreactivity for the peptides under study was observed at all segmental levels of the spinal cord. Peptide-immunoreactive fibres were generally concentrated in laminae I-III, the region around the central canal, and in the autonomic nuclei. A general increase in the number of immunoreactive nerve fibres was noted in the lumbosacral segments of the spinal cord, which was particularly exaggerated in the case of VIP immunoreactivity. In the horse, some CGRP-, somatostatin- or tachykinin-immunoreactive cell bodies were present in the dorsal horn. In the pig, cells immunoreactive for somatostatin, enkephalin or NPY were noted in a similar location. In the ventral horn most motoneurones were CGRP-immunoreactive in both species. However, in pig many other cell types were CGRP-immunoreactive not only in the ventral horn, but also in laminae V-VI of the dorsal horn. With the exception of enkephalin and NPY immunoreactivity, which was not seen in pig dorsal root ganglia, all peptides studied were localised to neuronal cell bodies and/or fibres in the dorsal root ganglia. In both species, immunolabeled cell bodies were observed in ganglia from cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral levels, with the exception of VIP-immunoreactive cells that were detected only in the lumbosacral ganglia. Numerous CGRP- and tachykinin-immunoreactive cell bodies were visualised in both species, while the cells immunolabeled with other peptide antisera were much lower in number. In both species, immunostaining of serial sections revealed that a subset of CGRP-immunoreactive cells co-expressed tachykinin, galanin or somatostatin immunoreactivity. In the horse some enkephalin-immunoreactive cells were also CGRP positive and occasionally combinations of three peptides, e.g. CGRP, tachykinin and galanin or CGRP, tachykinin and enkephalin were identified. The results obtained suggest that the overall pattern of distribution of peptide immunoreactivities is in general agreement with that so far described in other mammals, although some species variations have been observed, particularly regarding the presence of immunoreactive cell bodies in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Substance P-, calcitonin gene-related peptide- and C-flanking peptide of neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive fibres are present in normal synovium but depleted in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

By means of antisera to cytoplasmic components of nerve fibres and neuropeptides which are known to be present in sensory or sympathetic nerves we have examined the distribution of both total and different types of nerve fibres in normal and inflamed human synovial tissue. Samples of synovia were obtained at surgery from five normal and five rheumatoid patients (age range 10-77 years). In order to map the overall neural innervation of the synovium, antiserum to the general neuronal marker protein gene product 9.5 was employed. Substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide antisera were employed to identify sensory fibres and antisera to the C-flanking peptide of neuropeptide Y to distinguish sympathetic nerves. In normal synovium protein gene product 9.5-immunoreactive fibres were numerous, in particular, the vasculature was densely innervated. Free protein gene product 9.5-immunoreactive fibres were less numerous but were present in all synovia examined, and in many cases these extended to the intimal layer. Neuropeptide immunostaining was predominantly found in perivascular networks. Fibres immunoreactive for the C-flanking peptide of neuropeptide Y were exclusively located around blood vessels whereas free fibres were immunoreactive for substance P or calcitonin gene-related peptide. As with free protein gene product 9.5-immunoreactive fibres, fibres expressing substance P or calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity were often seen in the intimal cell layer. In rheumatoid arthritis a similar innervation to that seen in normal synovium was apparent in the deep tissue but fibres immunoreactive for protein gene product 9.5, the C-flanking peptide of neuropeptide Y, substance P or calcitonin gene-related peptide were not visible in the more superficial tissues or the intimal cell layer. In addition, immunostaining of neuropeptides in the deep tissue was weaker in the diseased tissues than in normal controls. The data unequivocally demonstrate that synovial tissues are richly innervated and confirm the presence of both sensory and sympathetic nerves. The absence of nerves which innervate the superficial synovium in rheumatoid arthritis might suggest that there is increased release of substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide and the C-flanking peptide of neuropeptide Y, reducing the stores in the nerves to levels below that detectable by immunocytochemistry. However, since protein gene product 9.5-immunoreactive nerves were not seen in the inflamed tissue it is probable that synovial growth outflanks neural growth and consequently as the disease progresses neural structures become restricted to deeper tissues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Nerves in inflammatory synovium: immunohistochemical observations on the adjuvant arthritis rat model.

Previous evidence has been presented that neurogenic input may influence adjuvant induced arthritis (AA) in rats. We now present evidence of alterations in synovial nerves in AA. Nerves were studied in well perfused and fixed rats, using immunohistochemistry with the sensitive avidin-biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) method and heterologous antisera to cytoskeletal protein gene product 9.5 (PGP) and the neuropeptides substance P and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP). The innervation of synovium was compared in normal rats and rats with AA. Observations concordant with what has been reported for neuropeptide nerves in the synovium of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are presented. It has been suggested that neural peptide substances are reduced in nerves of synovium from patients with RA. In the AA rat a specific reduction of lining zone and sublining nerves in the synovium was noted. The AA rat model is very suitable for studying the involvement of synovial nerves in arthritis, permitting optimal preservation of immunoreactive neural epitopes.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

A neurogenic mechanism for symmetrical arthritis.

Human synovium is richly innervated by autonomic and sensory nerve fibres, many of which contain neuropeptides. The hypothesis is that, in addition to a sensory role, some of these fibres modulate the response of the synovial membrane to a variety of noxious stimuli by releasing these peptides. Synovial damage results in acute inflammation in the damaged joint and a neurogenically mediated infiltrate of inflammatory cells in the contralateral joint. These cells might protect the contralateral synovium from injury similar to that in the damaged joint. An increased response would lead to synovitis and symmetrical disease.

Arthritis↗
PubMed1989

Novel peptide pancreastatin: its occurrence and codistribution with chromogranin A in the central nervous system of the pig.

The distribution of pancreastatin immunoreactivity was investigated in porcine brain, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, and pituitary. In the brain, immunoreactive cell bodies were present in many areas including the cortex, basal ganglia, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, mesencephalic reticular formation, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata. Immunoreactive fibres were most abundant in the globus pallidus, stria terminalis, entopeduncular nucleus, hippocampus, and in the substantia nigra. In the spinal cord, immunoreactive cells were found in laminae IV-IX. Immunoreactive fibres were concentrated in the dorsal horn. Pancreastatin immunoreactivity was localised to fibres and small cells (5-10% of the total) in the dorsal root ganglia. In the posterior pituitary, many immunoreactive fibres were present and in the anterior lobe subsets of gonadotrophs and thyrotrophs were pancreastatin-immunoreactive. The localisation of pancreastatin showed a parallel distribution with chromogranin A. Coexistence of pancreastatin with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity in cell bodies in the spinal cord, including motoneurones, and with CGRP or galanin immunoreactivities in dorsal root ganglion cells was also noted. The differential pattern of pancreastatin immunostaining was reflected in the extractable levels of peptide with highest concentrations in the cortex (55.8 +/- 6.0 pmol/g wet weight, mean +/- S.E.M.), thalamus (60.0 +/- 5.0 pmol/g), hypothalamus (54.4 +/- 6.5 pmol/g), and anterior pituitary (2,714 +/- 380 pmol/g). Characterisation of pancreastatin immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus and pituitary by gel permeation and high-pressure liquid chromatography revealed multiple molecular forms, one of which was indistinguishable from natural porcine pancreastatin. The widespread distribution of pancreastatin immunoreactivity suggests this peptide may play a part in several neuroendocrine, autonomic, somatic, and sensory functions, and its colocalisation with chromogranin A is consistent with a precursor-product relationship.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity at the human neuromuscular junction.

We have studied the presence of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity at the human motor end-plate in intercostal muscles from 6 normal subjects. Only a small proportion of end-plates were positively stained in the muscle. Different metabolic states at single motor end-plates or variable rates of CGRP synthesis in separate motoneurones could account for the uneven distribution of CGRP immunoreactivity at the human neuromuscular junction, or else, extremely low amounts of the peptide are below the threshold of sensitivity of the immunofluorescence method used in the present study.

Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide↗
PubMed1989

Reduced numbers of calcitonin gene-related peptide-(CGRP-) and tachykinin-immunoreactive sensory neurones associated with greater enkephalin immunoreactivity in the dorsal horn of a mutant rat with hereditary sensory neuropathy.

The mutilated foot rat is a mutant with autosomal recessive sensory neuropathy and frequent mutilation of the hindlimbs. Decreased numbers of dorsal root ganglion cells and diminished sensitivity to painful stimuli are characteristics of these animals. By use of immunocytochemistry, changes in the distributions of peptides involved in sensory and/or autonomic regulation, i.e., calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), tachykinins, enkephalin and neuropeptide Y in spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia and skin of these animals, were studied. In comparison with normal litter-mate controls, the dorsal horn of mutilated foot rats contained substantially fewer CGRP- and tachykinin-immunoreactive fibres but more fibres immunoreactive for enkephalin. Many enkephalin-immunoreactive cell bodies were also found in the dorsal horn of the mutants, by contrast none were visible in control animals. Neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity was, however, unchanged in the spinal cord of the mutants. In the dorsal root ganglia of the mutants, the number of CGRP- or tachykinin-immunoreactive cells and their proportion to total neuronal numbers were significantly less in comparison with normal controls. The diameter range of CGRP- and tachykinin-immunoreactive cells shifted from small (15-25 microns) to medium size (25-45 microns) as revealed by frequency distribution histograms. The skin from the affected fore- and hindlimbs of the mutant rats, in keeping with fewer CGRP- and tachykinin-immunoreactive cells in the dorsal root ganglia, contained substantially less fibres immunoreactive for CGRP and tachykinins; a difference that was not seen in skin of unaffected areas (whiskers and snout). By contrast, neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive fibres showed a normal distribution around blood vessels and sweat glands of mutilated foot rats. The data suggest that diminished pain perception in the mutilated foot rat is related to loss of peptide-containing sensory neurones. Furthermore, the intraspinal increase of enkephalinergic neurons in the dorsal horn, concomitant with the decreased number of primary sensory neurones, may also play a contributory rôle in reducing pain thresholds.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Photoperiodic variation in substance P induced plasma extravasation in the rat.

Photoperiodic variation in plasma extravasation was examined following exogenous perfusion of substance P over a vacuum-induced blister base on the rat hind footpad. The results showed a generalised suppression of plasma extravasation during the dark or active phase of the light/dark cycle which appears to be independent of the circadian fluctuations in endogenous corticosterone. These findings emphasise the need to consider photoperiodic conditions as a possible source of variability in neurogenic inflammatory responses.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Endothelin 1, an endothelium-derived peptide, is expressed in neurons of the human spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia.

The localization of endothelin 1 mRNA and endothelin-like immunoreactivity was investigated in samples of neurologically normal nervous system tissue from 10 adults by using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. Tissue sections of spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia were hybridized with an 35S-radiolabeled endothelin 1 complementary RNA probe. Autoradiograms showed labeled neurons in the spinal cord (laminae IV-VI and many motoneurons) and numerous small and large neurons in the dorsal root ganglia. Endothelin 1 transcripts were also found in association with the endothelial layer of some blood vessels in the white matter of the spinal cord. A similar distribution of immunoreactivity was seen using three antisera to endothelin 1, but fewer cells were immunostained than were labeled after the hybridization. Two other endothelin 1 antisera immunostained the endothelial lining of blood vessels in the spinal cord white matter but not neurons. In the ganglia, endothelin 1 transcripts were localized to all cells expressing beta-preprotachykinin and most expressing calcitonin gene-related peptide mRNAs; in the majority of the motoneurons, coexistence of endothelin 1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide mRNAs was noted. There was a similar pattern of coexistence for respective peptide immunoreactivities in the ganglia and spinal cord. The expression of endothelin 1 mRNA in distinct neuronal cell types suggests that this peptide plays a part in neural transmission/modulation and adds a further dimension to the known vascular-related actions of endothelin 1.

Endothelins↗
PubMed1988

A comparison of the distributions of eight peptides in spinal cord from normal controls and cases of motor neurone disease with special reference to Onuf's nucleus.

The distributions of 8 peptides were studied in the 4 major segmental levels (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral) of the spinal cord in 52 neurologically normal cases. Similar regions from 36 cases of motor neurone disease (MND) were compared using the same procedures to determine possible changes in the distribution of peptides in areas associated with sensory, motor and autonomic function. In normal spinal cords, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-, the C-flanking peptide of neuropeptide Y (CPON)-, enkephalin-, galanin-, neurokinin-like-, somatostatin- and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-immunoreactive fibres were abundant in the dorsal horn. Numerous somatostatin-immunoreactive cell bodies were also present. In the ventral horn, immunoreactive fibres were less abundant. Most motoneurones were closely apposed by fibres immunoreactive for enkephalin, neurokinin, somatostatin and thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH). A subpopulation of motoneurones, most notable in lumbar segments, displayed CGRP immunoreactivity. In common with autonomic nuclei, Onuf's nucleus, which is thought to innervate perineal striated muscle and external urethral and anal sphincters, was densely innervated with CPON-, enkephalin-, and in particular somatostatin-immunoreactive fibres, thus suggesting Onuf's nucleus may have an autonomic component. In the diseased cords, there was a reduction in the area of the ventral horn and numbers of motoneurones as revealed by conventional histological staining and immunostaining of neurofilament triplet proteins. No changes in the distribution of peptides was noted in the dorsal horn or autonomic nuclei. By contrast, in the ventral horn, neurokinin-, enkephalin-, somatostatin- and TRH-immunoreactive fibres, which are normally found associated with motoneurones, were absent. Therefore, not only are motoneurones lost in MND, but also the fibres which innervate them. CGRP-immunoreactive motoneurones were not observed, a finding consistent with the proposed role of this peptide as a muscle-trophic factor. In contrast to the large motoneurone groups in the ventral horn, the neuronal integrity of Onuf's nucleus and the peptides associated with it were spared. These data further imply that Onuf's nucleus is not a typical motor nucleus and it is not purely somatic. The coincident loss of peptide immunoreactivity and motoneurones from the large motor nuclei and sparing of Onuf's nucleus and its peptide-containing constituents in the diseased state suggests that peptides contribute to maintenance of neural integrity.

Adolescent↗