Mapping of neurons in the central nervous system of the guinea pig by use of antisera specific to the molluscan neuropeptide FMRFamide.

Immunoreactive neurons were mapped in the central nervous system of colchicine-treated and untreated guinea pigs with the use of two antisera to the molluscan neuropeptide FMRFamide. These antisera were especially selected for their incapability to react with peptides of the pancreatic polypeptide family. Only one group of perikarya was stained by both antisera; this group was mainly located in the nucleus dorsomedialis hypothalami and extended to the nucleus paraventricularis and nucleus periventricularis hypothalami. The perikarya were found to project fibers to all regions of the hypothalamus, to the septum, nucleus proprius striae terminalis, nucleus paraventricularis thalami, nucleus centralis thalami, nucleus reuniens, medial, central and basal amygdala, area praetectalis, area tegmentalis ventralis of Tsai, substantia grisea centralis mesencephali, formatio reticularis mesencephali, nucleus centralis superior, locus coeruleus, nuclei parabrachiales, nucleus raphe magnus, A 5-region, vagus-solitarius complex, ventral medulla, nucleus spinalis nervi trigemini, and substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cord. In many brain regions FMRFamide-immunoreactive processes were found in close contact with blood vessels.