[Immunocytochemical demonstration of neuropeptides (neurophysin and oxytocin) by the protein A-gold technic]

Abstract

In the classic peptidergic neurosecretory system of vertebrates the neurohormone oxytocin is associated with the carrier protein neurophysin. By using small gold particles (3 to 12 nm) in the protein A-gold technique, both the hormone and the carrier-protein will be labelled, while larger particles (20 nm) label only the neurophysin. To bind the latter particles, a greater number of Fc-regions of antigen-IgG-complexes seems to be necessary.