This study was carried out to compare the distribution pattern of the bombesin immunoreactive neurons of the hypothalamic nucleus in the rat and Mongolian gerbil. The bombesin immunoreactive neurons in the rat were located in the dorsal part of the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, but in the Mongolian gerbil inthe compact part of dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus. From this results, we could get an evidence that there were some differences in the distrbution of peptidebetween rat and Mongolian gerbil.

To elucidate the involvement of interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) in the courseof experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), we induced EAE by immunizing rats with an emulsion of rat spinal cord homogenate with complete Freund's adjuvant supplemented with Mycobacterium tuberculosis(H37Ra, 5mg/ml) and then examined the expression of ICE in the spinal cord of rats with EAE. In normal rate spinal cords, ICE is constitutively, but weakly, expressed in ependmal cells, neurons, and some neuroglial cells. In EAE, many inflammatory cells are positive for ICE, and the majority of ICE+ cells were identified as ED1+ macrophages. During this stage of EAE, the number of ICE+ cells in brain cells, including neurons and astrocytes, increased and these cells also had incresed ICE immunoreactivity. These findings suggest that the upregulation of ICE in both brain cells and invading hematogenous cells is stimulated by a secretory product from inflammatory cells, and that this enzyme is involved in the pathogenesis of EAE via the production of IL-1 beta.

The regional distributions and relative frequencies of the gastrointestinal endocrine cells inthe gean goose (Anser fabalisLatham) were investigated by immunohistochemical methods using bovineSp-1/chromogranin (CG), serotonin, gastrin, cholecystokinin (CCK)-8, somatostatin and glucagon antisera. BCG-immunoreactive cells were widespread throughout the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) with moderated frequencies except for the gizzard and proventriculus which were a few frequencies. Serotonin-immunoreactive cells were detected throughout the GIT except for the proventriculus and gizzard. These cells wer observed inthe pylorus with rare frequencies but numerous cells wee cetected in the intestinal tract. Gastrin-immunoreactive cells were restricted to the gizzard, pylorus and duodenum. These cells were most predominant in the pylorus and a few or rare in the gizzard and duodenum, respectively. CCK-8-immunoreactive cells were observed from the gizzard to ileum. the highest frequencies of endocrine cells were observed in the duodenum. These cells were increased from the gizzard to duodenum but thereafter decreased. Somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were detected in the GIT except for the large intestine. In the proventriculus and pylorus, numerous immunoreactive cells were demonstrated but a few cells were present in the other regions. Glucagon cells were observed in the gizzard, pylorus, ileum, colon and rectum with a few or moderated numbers.