Immunochemical Studies on Substance P Release from Muscularis Mucosa of Opossum Esophagus

We have studied the mechanism of action of a number of mediators of contractility in the opossum esophagus muscularis mucosa [MM] in vitro. Indirect evidence indicating a physiological role for substance P ESP] has been obtained [1,2]. We have established immumnochemical technlques to investigate this question by the following procedure: 1) Detection, localization, and characterization of SP immunoreactivity [SP-IR] in tissues by immunohistochemistry. 2) Detection, and characterization of SP-IR in tissues by SP-specific RIA. 3) Measurement of SPIR in samples from in vitro studies.