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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Isolation, Fixation, and Immunofluorescence Imaging of Mouse Adrenal Glands
Published on: October 2, 2018
Skin sympathetic adrenergic innervation: an immunofluorescence confocal study
Vincenzo Donadio1, Maria Nolano, Vincenzo Provitera
1Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Naples, Italy.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to characterize sympathetic adrenergic innervation of the skin in healthy subjects using dopamine beta hydroxylase (DbetaH) as a specific marker for noradrenergic fibers.
Methods:
Sympathetic adrenergic innervation of human skin was studied in 10 healthy subjects by indirect immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy applied to punch skin biopsies. Noradrenergic fibers were identified both in glabrous and hairy skin using DbetaH antibody.
Results:
DbetaH immunoreactive fibers were mainly localized in arteriovenous anastomoses, arrector pilorum muscles, and arterioles, whereas few adrenergic fibers were found around sweat glands.
Interpretation:
Our description of sympathetic adrenergic innervation of human skin aims to improve the diagnostic ability of skin biopsy to detect selective autonomic nervous system disorders.
