K. Czaja et al., NEUROENDOCRINE CELLS IN THE FEMALE UROGENITAL TRACT OF THE PIG, AND THEIR IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION, Acta anatomica, 157(1), 1996, pp. 11-19
A systematic search for neuroendocrine (NE) cells in the urogenital or
gans of the pig was carried out by means of Linder's argyrophil method
and immunohistochemical techniques. The occurrence, distribution and
immunohistochemical character of NE cells (paraneurons) were studied i
n the vaginal vestibulum, vagina, uterus, oviduct, ovary, urethra, uri
nary bladder and ureter. In the vestibular glands paraneurons were fou
nd to be the most numerous, while a moderate number of these cells occ
urred in the uterine horn and in the urethra. A distinctly smaller num
ber of paraneurons was present in the oviduct and only occasional NE c
ells were observed in the urinary bladder. Immunohistochemistry was pe
rformed by using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase procedure. Different su
bpopulations of paraneurons were distinguishable. Chromogranin A-posit
ive paraneurons were found in the vestibular glands, uterine horns, ov
iducts, urethra and urinary bladder. Somatostatin positivity was obser
ved in NE cells of the vestibular gland, uterine hem, oviduct and uret
hra. The subpopulation of serotonin-positive paraneurons was present i
n the vestibular gland and urethra. Bombesin, vasoactive intestinal po
lypeptide, cholecystokinin, substance P, nitric oxide synthase, P-endo
rphin, insulin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, oxytocin and thyroid-stim
ulating hormone antibodies gave negative reactions in the studied NE c
ells.