Immunohistochemical coexistence of calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P in the nerve fibers of the internal gills of bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) larvae.

A double-labelling immunofluorescence study of the internal gills of larval bullfrogs revealed coexistence of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) in the same nerve fibers in the gill tufts. More than about 95% of CGRP fibers showed coexistence of SP, although some fibers contained CGRP without SP. In the branchial muscle, all CGRP fibers demonstrated coexistence of SP. These findings suggest that both CGRP- and SP-containing fibers may use both peptides as neuromodulators of active ion transport and gill movements.