Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide containing neurones in monkey medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC): colocalisation with...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cellular Neuroscience

Background:

• Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide found in the central nervous system.
• Calretinin (CR) is a calcium-binding protein expressed in various neuronal populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the colocalization of VIP and CR immunoreactivity in neurons of the monkey medial prefrontal cortex.
• To characterize the morphology and laminar distribution of VIP-immunoreactive neurons.
• To determine the postsynaptic targets of VIP-immunoreactive neurons.

Main Methods:

• Immunohistochemistry was used to detect VIP and CR immunoreactivity in monkey medial prefrontal cortex.
• Neuronal morphology and laminar location were analyzed.
• The relationship between VIP-immunoreactive puncta and other neuronal somata was examined.

Main Results:

• The majority of VIP-immunoreactive neurons (78.0%) were bipolar cells predominantly located in layers 2/3.
• Calretinin (CR) immunoreactivity was colocalized in 80.5% of VIP-immunoreactive neurons.
• VIP-immunoreactive puncta formed pericellular baskets around GABA-immunonegative somata in layers 2/3, suggesting these are likely targets.

Conclusions:

• VIP and CR are colocalized in a subpopulation of bipolar neurons in the monkey medial prefrontal cortex.
• Superficial pyramidal neurons in layers 2/3 are likely targets of VIP-immunoreactive neurons.
• These findings contribute to understanding the neurochemical organization and circuitry of the prefrontal cortex.