Dendritic synthesis and release of the neuropeptide galanin: Morphological evidence from studies on rat locus coeruleus neurons
J. Comp. Neurol.. 2009-09-20; 516(3): 199-212
DOI: 10.1002/cne.22105
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1. J Comp Neurol. 2009 Sep 20;516(3):199-212. doi: 10.1002/cne.22105.
Dendritic synthesis and release of the neuropeptide galanin: morphological
evidence from studies on rat locus coeruleus neurons.
Vila-Porcile E(1), Xu ZQ, Mailly P, Nagy F, Calas A, Hökfelt T, Landry M.
Author information:
(1)INSERM UMRS 952, CNRS UMR 72224, Université Paris 6, 75252 Paris cedex 05,
France.
Dendritic synthesis and release of neuropeptides have been demonstrated in
hypothalamic neurosecretory neurons. Here we tested whether this mechanism may be
applicable to galanin in rat locus coeruleus (LC) neurons. Light and electron
microscopic immunocytochemistry demonstrated the occurrence of galanin peptide in
secretory granules within dendritic processes. In situ hybridization at the light
and electron microscopic level showed galanin mRNA in these LC processes.
Moreover, the levels of the transcript and its extension into the dendrites were
significantly increased by reserpine treatment. Finally, evidence for exocytotic
release from large dense-core vesicles in LC dendrites was obtained by using
tannic acid-treated slices. Taken together, these results indicate that galanin
can be synthesized in, and possibly released from, LC. These data support a key
function of the neuropeptide galanin as an auto-paracrine local modulator in a
major, strongly divergent monoaminergic regulatory system.
DOI: 10.1002/cne.22105
PMID: 19598284 [Indexed for MEDLINE]