Opioid receptor-like (ORL1) receptor distribution in the rat central nervous system: Comparison of ORL1 receptor mRNA expression with 125 I-[ 14 Tyr]-orphanin FQ binding

The recently discovered neuropeptide orphanin FQ (OFQ), and its opioid receptor-like (ORL1) receptor, exhibit structural features suggestive of the μ, κ, and δ opioid systems. The anatomic distribution of OFQ immunoreactivity and mRNA expression has been reported recently. In the present analysis, we compare the distribution of orphanin receptor mRNA expression with that of orphanin FQ binding at the ORL1 receptor in the adult rat central nervous system (CNS). By using in vitro receptor autoradiography with 125 I-[ 14 Tyr]-OFQ as the radioligand, orphanin receptor binding was analyzed throughout the rat CNS. Orphanin binding sites were densest in several cortical regions, the anterior olfactory nucleus, lateral septum, ventral forebrain, several hypothalamic nuclei, hippocampal formation, basolateral and medial amygdala, central gray, pontine nuclei, interpeduncular nucleus, substantia nigra, raphe complex, locus coeruleus, vestibular nuclear complex, and the spinal cord. By using in situ hybridization, cells expressing ORL1 mRNA were most numerous throughout multiple cortical regions, the anterior olfactory nucleus, lateral septum, endopiriform nucleus, ventral forebrain, multiple hypothalamic nuclei, nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract, medial amygdala, hippocampal formation, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, central gray, raphe complex, locus coeruleus, multiple brainstem motor nuclei, inferior olive, deep cerebellar nuclei, vestibular nuclear complex, nucleus of the solitary tract, reticular formation, dorsal root ganglia, and spinal cord. The diffuse distribution of ORL1 mRNA and binding supports an extensive role for orphanin FQ in a multitude of CNS functions, including motor and balance control, reinforcement and reward, nociception, the stress response, sexual behavior, aggression, and autonomic control of physiologic processes. J. Comp. Neurol. 412:563–605, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/34456/1/2_ftp.pd

Histochemical Protein Markers of Monoamine Cell Bodies in Man

Neurons in brainstem and hypothalamus of postmortem, formaldehyde-fixed tissue of 25 healthy controls were studied with a double-staining procedure for the consecutive demonstration of Nissl material and of cytoplasmic spherical bodies, which are rich in basic proteins. The investigation established that the protein bodies are located in cells that correspond to the aminergic neurons demonstrable by histofluorescence. Protein bodies were also found in the neurons of the inferior olive, which are not as a rule included in the aminergic cell groups. The localization of protein bodies is perikaryal and dendritic and, thus, parallels the distribution of monoamines and monoaminesynthesizing enzymes reported in experimental animals. The invariable presence of protein bodies in all aminergic perikarya of control human brains and their absence from nonaminergic neurons permits us to consider them markers of monoamine neurons in man. © 1982 American Medical Association All rights reserved

Development of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in the human paraventricular and supraoptic nucleus

Tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-IR) neurons were found in the developing human paraventricular and supraoptic nucleus. In the preterm infants only few, small, incompletely differentiated TH-IR neurons were evident in a minority of the cases. In the full-term infants a considerable but strongly variable population of morphologically mature TH-IR perikarya was observed in these neuroendocrine nuclei in most subjects. © 1993

Colocalization of tyrosine hydroxylase with oxytocin or vasopressin in neurons of the human paraventricular and supraoptic nucleus

In the developing and adult human paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nucleus, a large proportion of neurons contains the catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). In the present study we investigated the possible colocalization of TH with oxytocin (OXT) or vasopressin (VP) in the adult and neonatal PVN and SON. Adjacent paraffin sections were incubated simultaneously with two antibodies: a polyclonal against TH and a monoclonal against OXT or VP and stained with a double peroxidase-antiperoxidase/alkaline phosphatase method. We observed that TH-immunoreactive(IR) perikarya in the human PVN and SON were also positive for OXT or VP. A clear difference between the neonates and adult cases of our sample was observed in the proportion of TH-IR neurons that colocalize OXT or VP. In the neonates the majority of the TH-IR perikarya was also stained for VP, while only few TH-IR neurons were also positive for OXT. The opposite was observed in the adults, where the majority of the double-stained TH-IR neurons colocalizes OXT while only few TH-IR perikarya appear to contain VP. Our study establishes the colocalization of TH with OXT or VP in the adult and neonatal PVN and SON and indicates that antemortem factors such as perinatal hypoxia might increase TH-immunoreactivity of the VP neurons in man. © 1994