REGULATORY PEPTIDES IN THE HUMAN SOFT PALATE

The distributions of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, peptide histid ine methionine, helospectin, neuropeptide Y and its C-flanking peptide , substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide were studied in the human soft palate using immunocytochemical techniques. Peptide-contain ing nerve fibers were found to form a dense network around glandular a cini, excretory ducts and blood vessels, as well as beneath and within the epithelium. Chromogranin A, bombesin-flanking peptide and calcito nin gene-related peptide immunoreactivities were detected in endocrine -like cells located in excretory ducts.