Immunocytochemical localization of NCAM and catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes in rabbit intra- and extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue.

The expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule, chromogranin A, and catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes (tyrosine hydroxylase and phenylethanolamine N-methyl transferase) in adrenal medulla and para-aortic bodies (paraganglia) of the adult rabbit, was studied by immunofluorescence. The specificity of the neural cell adhesion molecule antibody employed was demonstrated on rabbit tissue by immunoblotting. Neural cell adhesion molecule was found to be expressed not only by adrenal medullary cells but also by extra-adrenal chromaffin cells present in para-aortic bodies. These paraganglionic cells were as intensely immunolabelled for chromogranin A as adrenal medullary chromaffin cells. They were also labelled for the catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes tested here. However, their levels of the adrenalin-synthesizing enzyme phenylethanolamine N-methyl transferase were lower than those of medullary chromaffin cells.