Summary
In the present study, we have demonstrated, by means of the biotin-avidin method, the widespread distribution of neuropeptide Y (NPY)-immunoreactive structures throughout the whole brain of the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). The prosencephalic region contained the highest concentration of both NPY-containing fibres and perikarya. Immunoreactive fibres were observed throughout, particularly within the paraolfactory lobe, the lateral septum, the nucleus taeniae, the preoptic area, the periventricular hypothalamic regions, the tuberal complex, and the ventrolateral thalamus. NPY-immunoreactive cells were represented by: a) small scattered perikarya in the telencephalic portion (i.e. archistriatal, neostriatal and hyperstriatal regions, hippocampus, piriform cortex); b) medium-sized cell bodies located around the nucleus rotundus, ventrolateral, and lateral anterior thalamic nuclei; c) small clustered cells within the periventricular and medial preoptic nuclei. The brainstem showed a less diffuse innervation, although a dense network of immunopositive fibres was observed within the optic tectum, the periaqueductal region, and the Edinger-Westphal, linearis caudalis and raphes nuclei. Two populations of large NPY-containing perikarya were detected: one located in the isthmic region, the other at the boundaries of the pons with the medulla. The wide distribution of NPY-immunoreactive structures within regions that have been demonstrated to play a role in the control of vegetative, endocrine and sensory activities suggests that, in birds, this neuropeptide is involved in the regulation of several aspects of cerebral functions.
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Abbreviations
- AA :
-
archistriatum anterius
- AC :
-
nucleus accumbens
- AM :
-
nucleus anterior medialis
- APP :
-
avian pancreatic polypeptide
- CNS :
-
centrai nervous system
- CO :
-
chiasma opticum
- CP :
-
commissura posterior
- CPi :
-
cortex piriformis
- DIC :
-
differential interferential contrast
- DLAl :
-
nucleus dorsolateralis anterior thalami, pars lateralis
- DLAm :
-
nucleus dorsolateralis anterior thalami, pars medialis
- E :
-
ectostriatum
- EW :
-
nucleus of Edinger-Westphal
- FLM :
-
fasciculus longitudinalis medialis
- GCt :
-
substantia grisea centralis
- GLv :
-
nucleus geniculatus lateralis, pars ventralis
- HA :
-
hyperstriatum accessorium
- Hp :
-
hippocampus
- HPLC :
-
high performance liquid chromatography
- HV :
-
hyperstriatum ventrale
- IF :
-
nucleus infundibularis
- IO :
-
nucleus isthmo-opticus
- IP :
-
nucleus interpeduncularis
- IR :
-
immunoreactive
- LA :
-
nucleus lateralis anterior thalami
- LC :
-
nucleus linearis caudalis
- LFS :
-
lamina frontalis superior
- LH :
-
lamina hyperstriatica
- LHRH :
-
luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone
- LoC :
-
locus coeruleus
- LPO :
-
lobus paraolfactorius
- ME :
-
eminentia mediana
- N :
-
neostriatum
- NC :
-
neostriatum caudale
- NPY :
-
neuropeptide Y
- NIII :
-
nervus oculomotorius
- NV :
-
nervus trigeminus
- NVI :
-
nervus facialis
- NVIIIc :
-
nervus octavus, pars cochlearis
- nIV :
-
nucleus nervi oculomotorii
- nIX :
-
nucleus nervi glossopharyngei
- nBOR :
-
nucleus opticus basalis (ectomamilaris)
- nCPa :
-
nucleus commissurae pallii
- nST :
-
nucleus striae terminalis
- OM :
-
tractus occipitomesencephalicus
- OS :
-
nucleus olivaris superior
- PA :
-
palaeostriatum augmentatum
- PBS :
-
phosphate-buffered saline
- POA :
-
nucleus praeopticus anterior
- POM :
-
nucleus praeopticus medialis
- POP :
-
nucleus praeopticus periventricularis
- PP :
-
pancreatic polypeptide
- PYY :
-
polypeptide YY
- PVN :
-
nucleus paraventricularis magnocellularis
- PVO :
-
organum paraventriculare
- R :
-
nucleus raphes
- ROT :
-
nucleus rotundus
- RP :
-
nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis
- Rpc :
-
nucleus reticularis parvocellularis
- RPgc :
-
nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis, pars gigantocellularis
- RPO :
-
nucleus reticularis pontis oralis
- SCd :
-
nucleus subcoeruleus dorsalis
- SCv :
-
nucleus subcoeruleus ventralis
- SCNm :
-
nucleus suprachiasmaticus, pars medialis
- SCNl :
-
nucleus suprachiasmaticus, pars lateralis
- SL :
-
nucleus septalis lateralis
- SM :
-
nucleus septalis medialis
- Ta :
-
nucleus tangentialis
- TeO :
-
tectum opticum
- Tn :
-
nucleus taeniae
- TPc :
-
nucleus tegmenti pedunculo-pontinus, pars compacta
- TSM :
-
tractus septo-mesencephalicus
- TV :
-
nueleus tegmenti ventralis
- VeL :
-
nucleus vestibularis lateralis
- VLT :
-
nucleus ventrolateralis thalami
- VMN :
-
nucleus ventromedialis hypothalami
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Aste, N., Viglietti-Panzica, C., Fasolo, A. et al. Localization of neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive cells and fibres in the brain of the Japanese quail. Cell Tissue Res. 265, 219–230 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00398070
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00398070