Neurochemical features of endomorphin-2-containing neurons in the submucosal plexus of the rat colon

Figure 1 Immunofluorescence histochemical double-staining of the whole-mount sections of the rat mid-colon. The distributions of endomorphin-2-immunoreactive (IR) neurons (A), neuron-specific enolase (NSE)-IR neurons (B) and EM-2/NSE co-localized neurons (C) in the submucosal layer. Arrows point to the representative neurons containing both EM-2- and NSE-IR products. Scale bar = 45 μm.

Figure 2 Immunofluorescence histochemical double-staining of the whole-mount sections of the rat mid-colon. A and D: Distributions of endomorphin-2 (EM-2)-immunoreactive (IR) neurons; B and E: Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-IR neurons (B) and substance P (SP)-IR neurons (E) in the submucosal layer; C and F: Merged images of (A, B) and (D, E). Arrows point to neurons bearing EM-2 and containing ChAT or SP. Scale bar = 45 μm.

Figure 3 Immunofluorescence histochemical double-staining of the whole-mount sections of the rat mid-colon. A and D: The endomorphin-2 (EM-2)-immunoreactive (IR) neurons; B and E: Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-IR neurons (B) and nitric oxide synthetase (NOS)-IR neurons (E) in the submucosal layer; C and F: Merged images of (A, B) and (D, E). Arrows point to neurons containing both EM-2 and VIP or NOS. Scale bar = 45 μm.

Figure 4 Immunofluorescence histochemical double-staining of the whole-mount sections of the rat mid-colon. A and B: Distributions of endomorphin-2 -immunoreactive (IR) neurons (A) and calcitonin gene-related peptide-IR neurons (B) in the submucosal layer; C: Merged images of (A) and (B). Scale bar = 45 μm.

Figure 5 Fluorescent micrographs exhibiting the results of endomorphin-2-immunohistochemical staining before (A) and after antiserum against endomorphin-2 was pre-absorbed with synthetic homologous or heterologous peptides (B) in the submucosal layer of the whole-mount sections of the rat mid-colon. Scale bar = 45 μm.