Localization of Met5-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7-like immunoreactivity in the rat gastrointestinal tract

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 51; no. 3; p. 319
• Main Authors: Wang, Y N, Church, A C, Wyatt, R J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland 26.10.1984
• Subjects: Animals; Digestive System - metabolism; Enkephalin, Methionine - analogs & derivatives; Enkephalin, Methionine - metabolism; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Male; Myenteric Plexus - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Submucous Plexus - metabolism
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-3940(84)90396-3

The distribution of Met5-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 (Met-Enk-Arg-Phe)-like immunoreactivity in the rat gastrointestinal tract was studied by immunohistochemical techniques. Antiserum against a Met-Enk-Arg-Phe-thyroglobulin conjugate was raised in rabbits and was found to be specific for synthetic Met-Enk-Arg-Phe. Met-Enk-Arg-Phe-like immunoreactivity was found in neuronal structures in all parts of the rat gastrointestinal tract. Immunostained somata were primarily located in myenteric plexus; immunostained processes were mostly present in myenteric plexus and circular muscle layer. This distribution pattern is similar to that of the three other opioid polypeptides, Met5-enkephalin, Leu5-enkephalin and Met5-enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8.