The technique is fast, simple, and reproducible with easily available reagents and standard light microscopy. In our population, AgNOR counts constituted a more accurate prognostic indicator than Clark's level and Breslow's thickness. Confirmation in a new population is needed.

The presence and distribution of some neuropeptides and serotonin was investigated in the enteric nervous system of the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula by immunohistochemical and ultrastructural methods. At the light microscope, whole mount preparations showed numerous VIP-and PHI-immunopositive nerve fibres in the lamina propria and muscolaris mucosae, while the few bombesin-and serotonin-immunopositive nerve fibres were particularly located in the blood vessel wall near smooth muscular fibres. At the electron microscope, numerous unmyelinated nerve fibres were seen in the same localization as neuropeptide-and serotoninimmunoreactivities. The terminal axons showed vesicle-containing varicosities which were alternated with narrow tracts characterized by neurofilaments and neurotubules. Six different kinds of vesicles were identified according to their size and electron-density. These different vesicles often occurred in the same varicosity, suggesting the presence of more than one peptide, together with classic neurotransmitters, in the same nerve terminal.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract