In situ hybridization study of neuropeptide Y neurons in the rat brain and pelvic paracervical ganglion.

The distribution of mRNA encoding neuropeptide Y in cells of the rat pelvic paracervical ganglion was studied by the use of in situ hybridization with a neuropeptide Y oligodeoxynucleotide probe. The specificity of the hybridization signal was assessed on brain sections and the neurons expressing neuropeptide Y mRNA were actually found in several discrete brain regions already described for containing neuropeptide Y neurons. The present study reports the first demonstration of the presence of neuropeptide Y transcripts in nerve cell bodies and small intensively fluorescent (SIF)-like cells of the pelvic paracervical ganglion, thus providing evidence that neuropeptide Y is synthesized in these two cell types. In addition, a quantitative analysis shows a differential pattern of expression of the peptide mRNA in nerve cell bodies throughout the ganglion.