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A method for the localization of adrenergic nerves during early development

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Summary

Problems associated with the low intensity and fast fading of the formaldehydeinduced fluorescence of adrenergic nerves in young foetal human and rat gut have been overcome by loading the nerves with a primary catecholamine. This has been achieved by incubating the tissue, before freeze-drying, in Krebs solution containing added noradrenaline or α-methyl-noradrenaline. With this method fluorescent nerves have been revealed at a stage before any were demonstrable by normal procedures.

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This work was supported by the Australian Research Grants Committee and the National Heart Foundation of Australia. One of us (J. B. R.) was in receipt of a Commonwealth of Australia Postgraduate Award. We thank Prof. C. Wood for the human foetal material obtained, by hysterotomy, at legal terminations of pregnancy.

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Read, J.B., Burnstock, G. A method for the localization of adrenergic nerves during early development. Histochemie 20, 197–200 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306006

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