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Failure to demonstrate serotonergic neurons in the myenteric plexus of the rat

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Summary

Several recent studies suggested that serotonergic neuron-like elements are present in the guinea pig ileum. The present paper reports an extensive study of the digestive tract of the rat with the use of a histofluorescence technique. Administration of the serotonin precursor, tryptophan, associated with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, did not allow histochemical demonstration of rapidly fading, yellow fluorescent, 6-hydroxydopamine-resistant neurons; conversely such neurons were readily detected in the brain. It is concluded that serotonergic neuron-like elements cannot be detected histochemically in the rat myenteric plexus area after chemical sympathectomy.

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Dubois, A., Jacobowitz, D.M. Failure to demonstrate serotonergic neurons in the myenteric plexus of the rat. Cell Tissue Res. 150, 493–496 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225972

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225972

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