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Matching localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and VIP-receptor at pre- and postsynaptic sites in
11st Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
Abstract:
Vibratome sections of the mouse occipital cortex were processed by double label immunohistochemistry to demonstrate the localization of the receptor for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and the peptide itself. The receptor was found to be distributed in the cytoplasm and major dendrites of numerous cortical cells, mainly pyramidal neurons. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, on the other hand, occurred in a population of non-pyramidal neurons and axonal boutons. Image analysis revealed a close spatial association of peptide-containing presynaptic terminals with receptor-containing cells. Ultrastructurally, these connections represented symmetrical axo-somatic and axo-dendritic synapses. Our findings demonstrate a matching histological localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and its receptor in the brain.