Close association of peptidergic nerves with lymphocytes in canine and monkey ileal villi. |
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Authors: | S Ichikawa N Eda S Uchino |
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Institution: | Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical College, Japan. |
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Abstract: | Intimate association of peptidergic nerves with lymphocytes of canine and monkey ileal villi was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. A swollen, presumably terminal, portion of nerves containing large cored vesicles and small clear vesicles was in direct contact with a lymphocyte. The apposing membranes of the nerve and lymphocyte were thickened and darkened, being separated by a narrow uniform space. The lymphocyte-associated nerves contained immunoreactivity for substance P(SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), localized in large-cored vessels. These result support the hypothesis that peptidergic nerves may play a regulatory role in mucosal immune responses. |
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