Immunoreactivity for calcitonin gene-related peptide in neuroepithelial bodies of the newborn cat.

Immunoreactivity for calcitonin gene-related peptide is demonstrated for the first time in neuroepithelial bodies in the lung of newborn cats after Bouin fixation and embedding in paraffin. The intense staining clearly identifies these bodies at the level of bronchioli and alveoli. Occasionally, single neuroepithelial endocrine cells, displaying immunoreactivity for calcitonin gene-related peptide are observed. In the kitten lung, identification and localization of neuroepithelial bodies after immunocytochemical staining for calcitonin gene-related peptide are superior to the analysis based on other techniques, i.e., the argyrophilic reaction, periodic acid Schiff-lead hematoxylin method, and immunocytochemical staining for serotonin. The serial-section technique revealed that in neuroepithelial bodies of the newborn kitten lung, immunoreactivity for calcitonin gene-related peptide coexists with immunoreactivity for serotonin in individual cells. The functional significance of the calcitonin gene-related peptide in neuroepithelial bodies remains to be elucidated.