Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Co-occurrence of substance P-like and Leu-enkephalin-like immunoreactivities in neurones and fibres of avian nervous system

Abstract

Neuropeptides are frequently found in neurones that also contain another putative transmitter substance such as a biogenic amine or acetylcholine1–5. Such co-existence has led to the suggestion that the roles of neuropeptides in the nervous system may be diverse and may in some systems include a part in conventional neurotransmission as well as an ancillary, or modulatory, role. Recently, several studies have noted the co-occurrence of two peptides within individual neurones of localized regions of the mammalian nervous system6–9. Here, we present the first evidence, based on an indirect immunofluorescence technique allowing the simultaneous visualization of separate tissue antigens, that substance P (SP) and Leu-enkephalin (L-Enk) co-occur within individual neurones of widespread regions of the avian central nervous system.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chan-Palay, V., Jonsson, G. & Palay, S. L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 1582–1586 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hokfelt, T. et al. Neuroscience 3, 517–538 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hokfelt, T. et al. Nature 285, 476–478 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hokfelt, T. et al. Neuroscience 5, 2093–2124 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lundberg, J. M. et al. Neuroscience 4, 1539–1559 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Watson, S. J., Akil, H., Richard, C. W. & Barchas, J. D. Nature 275, 226–228 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Schultzberg, M. et al. Neuroscience 5, 689–744 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hokfelt, T. et al. in Regulation and Function of Neuronal Peptides (eds Trabucchi, M. & Costa, E.) (Raven, New York, in the press).

  9. Hunt, S. P. et al. Neurosci. Lett. 21, 125–130 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Tramu, G., Pillez, A. & Leonardelli, J. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 26, 322–324 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Coons, A. H. in General Cytochemical Methods (ed. Danielli, J. F.) 399–422 (Academic, New York, 1958).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Brecha, N., Karten, H. J. & Laverack, C. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 3010–3014 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Karten, H. J. & Brecha, N. Nature 283, 87–88 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Korte, G. E., Reiner, A. & Karten, H. J. Neuroscience 5, 903–914 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Erichsen, J. T., Karten, H. J., Eldred, W. D. & Brecha, N. C. J. Neurosci. (in the press).

  16. Erichsen, J. T., Reiner, A., Cabot, J. & Karten, H. J. Neurosci. Abstr. 7, 777 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Davis, B. M., Brecha, N. & Karten, H. J. Neurosci. Abstr. 6, 744 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Reiner, A., Karten, H. J. & Korte, G. E. Neurosci. Abstr. 6, 810 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Karten, H. J. & Hodos, W. A Stereotaxic Atlas of the Brain of the Pigeon (Columba livia) (Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Nicoll, R. A., Alger, B. E. & Jahr, C. E. Proc. R. Soc. 210, 133–149 (1980).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Martin, A. R. & Pilar, G. J. Physiol., Lond. 168, 443–463 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Martin, A. R. & Pilar, G. J. Physiol., Lond. 168, 464–475 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Hess, A. J. Cell Biol. 25, 1–19 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Erichsen, J., Reiner, A. & Karten, H. Co-occurrence of substance P-like and Leu-enkephalin-like immunoreactivities in neurones and fibres of avian nervous system. Nature 295, 407–410 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/295407a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/295407a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing