Immunohistochemical properties of motoneurons supplying the porcine trapezius muscle.

The trapezius muscle (TRAP) belongs to the scapulothoracic group of muscles, which play a crucial role in the integrity and strength of the upper limb, trunk, head, and neck movements and, thus, in maintaining balance. Combined retrograde tracing (using fluorescent tracer Fast Blue, FB) and double-labelling immunohistochemistry were applied to investigate the chemical coding of motoneurons projecting to the porcine TRAP. FB-positive (FB+) motoneurons supplying the cervical (c-TRAP) and thoracic part (th-TRAP) of the right (injected with the tracer) TRAP were located within the IX-th Rexed lamina in the ipsilateral ventral horn of the grey matter of the spinal medulla.

Xanthohumol, a prenylated flavonoid from hops (Humulus lupulus L.) exerts multidirectional pro-healing properties towards damaged zebrafish hair cells by regulating the innate immune response.

Xanthohumol (XN) is a prominent prenylated flavonoid present in the hop plant (Humulus lupulus L.). Despite undoubted pro-healing properties of hop plant, there is still a need for clinical investigations confirming these effects as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms.

The Effect of Simvastatin on the Dynamics of NF-κB-Regulated Neurodegenerative and Neuroprotective Processes in the Acute Phase of Ischemic Stroke.

Statins are lipid-lowering drugs that act by inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, a rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. Animal studies have shown neuroprotective effects of statins in cerebral stroke. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.

Kisspeptin and GPR54 Receptor Expression in Endometrial Cancer Tissue.

Kisspeptin (KISS) is a natural peptide-discovered in 1996 as a factor inhibiting the ability to metastasize in malignant melanoma. This protein plays also a regulatory role in the process of puberty, the menstrual cycle, spermatogenesis, implantation and development of the human placenta. The present study aimed to evaluate the expression of KISS and its receptor GPR54 in endometrial cancer (EC) tissue, depending on the histological type of cancer, its stage, various demographic characteristics, and clinical conditions in 214 hysterectomy patients.

Morphology and immunohistochemical characteristics of the otic ganglion in the chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger Molina).

Introduction: The available literature provides relatively little information on the morphology of the autonomic head ganglia in rodents including their neurochemical codding.

Material And Methods: Morphological investigations of the otic ganglion of the chinchilla were performed using the modified acetylcholinesterase method. The cellular structure was investigated with histological techniques and neurochemical properties were studied with the double-labelling immunofluorescence method.

Dispersal and immunohistochemical characteristics of neurons in the stem of the porcine vagus nerve.

The present study investigated the distribution and chemical properties of nerve cell bodies within the trunk of the vagus nerve in juvenile female pigs (n=4) using double-labelling immunofluorescence. The neurons appeared mostly as single cells or formed streaks of cells or small ganglia. Many of the perikarya were cholinergic (VAChT-positive; VAChT+) or adrenergic (DβH+) in nature and no SP+ or CGRP+ neurons were encountered.

Immunohistochemical characterization of nerve elements in porcine intrinsic laryngeal ganglia.

The present study investigated the chemical coding of neurons and nerve fibres in local laryngeal ganglia in pigs (n=5) using double-labelling immunohistochemistry. Virtually all the neurons were cholinergic in nature (ChAT- or VAChT-positive). Only very solitary, small nerve cells (presumably representing interneurons) stained intensely for adrenergic marker, DβH.

The Effect of Castration on Peripheral Autonomic Neurons Supplying Mammalian Male Genitourinary System.

This review paper deals with the influence of androgens (testosterone) on pelvic autonomic pathways in male mammals. The vast majority of the relevant information has been gained in experiments involving castration (testosterone deprivation) performed in male rats, and recently, in male pigs. In both species, testosterone significantly affects the biology of the pathway components, including the pelvic neurons.

Enteric neuronal development in canine small intestine - an immunohistochemical study.

The development of the enteric nervous system (ENS) is still a valid and intensely studied issue. However, literature in the field has no data on this topic in the dog. The present investigations were performed in three groups of fetuses from mongrel dogs - from the third, sixth- -seventh, and ninth week of pregnancy - and in 3-5-day-old puppies (3 specimens for each age group).

The influence of castration on intramural neurons of the urinary bladder trigone in male pigs.

The present study investigated the influence of castration performed at neonatal age on neuronal elements in the intramural ganglia of the urinary bladder trigone (UBT) in male pigs using double-labeling immunohistochemistry. The ganglia were examined in intact (IP) 7-day-old (castration day) pigs, and at 3 and 6 months after surgery. In IP and control (3- and 6-month-old noncastrated pigs) groups, virtually, all neurons were adrenergic (68%) or cholinergic (32%) in nature.

P-Glycoprotein Inhibitor Tariquidar Plays an Important Regulatory Role in Pigmentation in Larval Zebrafish.

Zebrafish has emerged as a powerful model in studies dealing with pigment development and pathobiology of pigment diseases. Due to its conserved pigment pattern with established genetic background, the zebrafish is used for screening of active compounds influencing melanophore, iridophore, and xanthophore development and differentiation. In our study, zebrafish embryos and larvae were used to investigate the influence of third-generation noncompetitive P-glycoprotein inhibitor, tariquidar (TQR), on pigmentation, including phenotype effects and changes in gene expression of chosen chromatophore differentiation markers.

Inferior vagal ganglion galaninergic response to gastric ulcers.

Galanin is a neuropeptide widely expressed in central and peripheral nerves and is known to be engaged in neuronal responses to pathological changes. Stomach ulcerations are one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Impaired stomach function in peptic ulcer disease suggests changes in autonomic nerve reflexes controlled by the inferior vagal ganglion, resulting in stomach dysfunction.

Nerve structures of the heart and their immunohistochemical characterization in 10-week-old porcine foetuses.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of neuronal perikarya and nerve fibres and their chemical coding in the heart of 10-week-old porcine foetuses. The foetuses, obtained from a local slaughterhouse, were fixed by immersion in 4% buffered (pH 7.4) paraformaldehyde.

Distribution and chemical coding of phoenixin-immunoreactive nerve structures in the spinal cord of the pig.

Phoenixin (PNX) is a newly described peptide found in both neural and non-neural tissues. Until now, no attempts have been made to investigate the expression of PNX in the nervous system of animals other than laboratory rodents, in which an enzyme immunoassay revealed the highest quantity of the substance in the spinal cord. Since the domestic pig, due to its anatomical and histological resemblance to humans, is often used as an animal model in biomedical investigations, the present study was designed to examine PNX-immunoreactivity in the spinal cords of female pigs (n=5).

Effect of castration on pelvic neurons in the male pig.

The present study investigated the influence of castration performed at neonatal age on neuronal elements in the anterior pelvic ganglion of the male pig with immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The ganglia were examined 3 and 6 months after surgery. In 3-month-old castrated pigs (3MCP) 74% of adrenergic and 31% of cholinergic neurons stained for caspase-3 (CASP-3), and much greater numbers of perikarya than in the control animals expressed CGRP, galanin (GAL) and VIP (peptides known to have neuroprotective properties).

Innervation of internal female genital organs in the pig during prenatal development.

This study investigated the innervation of internal genital organs in 5-, 7- and 10-week-old female pig foetuses using single and double-labelling immunofluorescence methods. The structure and topography of the organs was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The investigations revealed differences in the innervation between the three developmental periods.

Distribution and chemical coding of urinary bladder apex-projecting neurons in aorticorenal and testicular ganglia of the male pig.

Combined retrograde tracing and double-labelling immunofluorescence were used to investigate the distribution and chemical coding of neurons in aorticoerenal (ARG) and testicular (TG) ganglia supplying the urinary bladder apex (UBA) in the juvenile male pig (n=4, 12 kg. body weight). Retrograde fluorescent tracer Fast Blue (FB) was injected into the wall of the bladder apex under pentobarbital anesthesia.

The expression of androgen receptor in neurons of the anterior pelvic ganglion and celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion in the male pig.

The present study investigated the expression of androgen receptor (AR) in neurons of the anterior pelvic ganglion (APG) and celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion (CSMG; ganglion not involved in the innervation of reproductive organs) in the male pig with quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. qPCR investigations revealed that the level of AR gene expression in the APG tissue was approximately 2.5 times higher in the adult (180-day-old) than in the juvenile (7-day-old) boars.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP-38) plays an inhibitory role against inflammation induced by chemical damage to zebrafish hair cells.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP-38) is a common neuropeptide exerting a wide spectrum of functions in many fields, including immunology. In the present study, 5-day post-fertilization (dpf) zebrafish larvae of three diverse genetic lines [transgenic lines Tg(MPX:GFP) with GFP-labelled neutrophils and Tg(pou4f3:GAP-GFP) with GFP-labelled hair cells and the wild-type Tuebingen] were used to investigate an inhibitory role of PACAP-38 in inflammation associated with damaged hair cells of the lateral line. Individuals of each genetic line were assigned to four groups: (1) control, and those consisting of larvae exposed to (2) 10 µM CuSO4, (3) 10 µM CuSO4+100 nM PACAP-38 and (4) 100 nM PACAP-38, respectively.

Neuropeptides and lymphocyte populations in the porcine ileum and ileocecal lymph nodes during postnatal life.

The maturation-related changes in the concentrations of galanin (Gal), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (SP) and somatostatin (Som), as well as in subpopulations of lymphocytes expressing antigens CD2 (lymphocytes T), CD4 (T helper), CD8 (T cytotoxic), CD21 (B lymphocytes), CD5-/CD8+ (NK cells) and TCRgamma/delta (gut mucosal/intraepitelial cells) were studied in the ileal Peyer's patches and ileo-cecal lymph nodes in female pigs aged 3 days, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 4 months. As regards neuropeptide concentrations statistically significant changes in the ileum and lymph nodes were found only in case of Gal and VIP. The concentrations of neuropeptides were significantly higher only in new-born animals.

Galaninergic intramural nerve and tissue reaction to antral ulcerations.

Background: Well-developed galaninergic gastric intramural nerve system is known to regulate multiple stomach functions in physiological and pathological conditions. Stomach ulcer, a disorder commonly occurring in humans and animals, is accompanied by inflammatory reaction. Inflammation can cause intramural neurons to change their neurochemical profile.

Efficacy of lateral- versus medial-approach hip joint capsule denervation as surgical treatments of the hip joint pain; a neuronal tract tracing study in the sheep.

Objective: To evaluate efficacy of denervation of the of the hip joint capsule (HJC), as a treatment of hip joint pain. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that HJC denervation will significantly reduce the number of sensory neurons innervating the capsule.

Study Design: Denervation of the HJC from a medial or lateral approach was followed by retrograde tracing of sensory neurons innervating the capsule.

The Influence of Resiniferatoxin (RTX) and Tetrodotoxin (TTX) on the Distribution, Relative Frequency, and Chemical Coding of Noradrenergic and Cholinergic Nerve Fibers Supplying the Porcine Urinary Bladder Wall.

The present study investigated the influence of intravesically instilled resiniferatoxin (RTX) or tetrodotoxin (TTX) on the distribution, number, and chemical coding of noradrenergic and cholinergic nerve fibers (NF) supplying the urinary bladder in female pigs. Samples from the bladder wall were processed for double-labelling immunofluorescence with antibodies against cholinergic and noradrenergic markers and some other neurotransmitter substances. Both RTX and TTX caused a significant decrease in the number of cholinergic NF in the urinary bladder wall (in the muscle coat, submucosa, and beneath the urothelium).

The Influence of Tetrodotoxin (TTX) on the Distribution and Chemical Coding of Caudal Mesenteric Ganglion (CaMG) Neurons Supplying the Porcine Urinary Bladder.

The treatment of micturition disorders creates a serious problem for urologists. Recently, new therapeutic agents, such as neurotoxins, are being considered for the therapy of urological patients. The present study investigated the chemical coding of caudal mesenteric ganglion (CaMG) neurons supplying the porcine urinary bladder after intravesical instillation of tetrodotoxin (TTX).

Ghrelin-immunoreactive cells in the gastrointestinal tract of hypertensive rats.

Introduction: Ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating hormone secreted by the endocrine cells of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, has recently been shown to affect the function of the cardiovascular system. This study aimed to assess the number and morphology of ghrelin-immunopositive (GhrIP) cells in the gastrointestinal tract of rats at different developmental phases of experimentally evoked renovascular hypertension.

Material And Methods: The study involved 40 rats divided into two groups: control (C; n = 20) and rats with experimentally induced hypertension (EH; n = 20).