Neuropeptide Y immunoreactive neurons in the guinea-pig uvea and retina

Abstract

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a recently discovered, amidated 36 amino acid residue neuropeptide present in many but not all sympathetic noradrenergic neurons. In the guinea-pig eye, NPY immunoreactive fibers were found to have the same distribution as noradrenergic fibers except that there were fewer at the iris dilator, in the cornea, and in the chamber angle. In the anterior uvea, the NPY immunoreactive fibers disappeared after excision of the homolateral superior cervical sympathetic ganglion, whereas in the choroid, many NPY immunoreactive fibers remained, indicating that they originate elsewhere. NPY immunoreactivity thus is not found in all sympathetic adrenergic neurons nor is it found only in such nerve fibers. In the retina, NPY immunoreactive fibers formed a single layer of processes in sublamina 1 of the inner plexiform layer. NPY immunoreactive cell bodies were found in the innermost cell row of the inner nuclear layer. The immunoreactivity was concentrated to the hillock region of these cells.