E. Houdeau et Pa. Boyer, IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION STUDY OF NEUROPEPTIDE-Y NEURONS IN THE RAT-BRAIN AND PELVIC PARACERVICAL GANGLION, Cell and tissue research, 277(3), 1994, pp. 579-586
The distribution of mRNA encoding neuropeptide Y in cells of the rat p
elvic paracervical ganglion was studied by the use of in situ hybridiz
ation with a neuropeptide Y oligodeoxynucleotide probe. The specificit
y of the hybridization signal was assessed on brain sections and the n
eurons expressing neuropeptide Y mRNA were actually found in several d
iscrete brain regions already described for containing neuropeptide Y
neurons. The present study reports the first demonstration of the pres
ence of neuropeptide Y transcripts in nerve cell bodies and small inte
nsively fluorescent (SIF)-like cells of the pelvic paracervical gangli
on, thus providing evidence that neuropeptide Y is synthesized in thes
e two cell types. In addition, a quantitative analysis shows a differe
ntial pattern of expression of the peptide mRNA in nerve cell bodies t
hroughout the ganglion.