Distinct localization and target specificity of galanin-immunoreactive sympathetic preganglionic neurons of a teleost, the filefish Stephanolepis cirrhifer
K. Funakoshi et al., Distinct localization and target specificity of galanin-immunoreactive sympathetic preganglionic neurons of a teleost, the filefish Stephanolepis cirrhifer, J AUTON NER, 79(2-3), 2000, pp. 136-143
Immunoreactivity for galanin was examined in the sympathetic preganglionic
neurons in the spinal cord, adrenal glands, sympathetic ganglia, and some s
ensory ganglia of the filefish Stephanolepis cirrhifer. Galanin-immunoreact
ive neurons were found only in the rostral parr, but not in the caudal part
of the central autonomic nucleus (a column of sympathetic preganglionic ne
urons of teleosts). Many galanin-immunoreactive nerve terminals were found
in contact with neurons in the celiac ganglia and the cranial sympathetic g
anglia on bath sides of the body. Most neurons encircled by galanin-immunor
eactive nerve fibers were negative for tyrosine hydroxylase. Galanin-immuno
reactive nerve fibers were very sparse in the spinal sympathetic paraverteb
ral ganglia. No galanin-immunoreactive nerve fibers were found in the adren
al glands. No sensory neurons of the trigeminal, vagal, or spinal dorsal ro
ot ganglia were positive for galanin-immunoreactivity. These results sugges
t that galanin-immunoreactive sympathetic preganglionic neurons have distin
ct segmental localization and might project specifically to a population of
non-adrenergic sympathetic postganglionic neurons in the celiac and crania
l sympathetic ganglia. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.