Distribution of galanin in bone and joint tissues

The article describes the distribution of galanin in normal bone and joint tissues. Periosteum, cortical bone, bone marrow, and synovial membrane of normal rats were analyzed. Immunoelectron microscopy (iEM) was used to analyze the distribution of galanin, and radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to determine its concentration. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that galanin is abundant in nerve fibers and endothelial cells in the periosteum and also in macrophage-like-cells and nerve fibers of the synovial membrane. The concentration of galanin measured by RIA showed the highest concentration in bone marrow, followed by periosteum and cortical bone. This study demonstrates that galanin is present and can be quantified in different compartments of bone and joint tissues and illustrates the possible role of galanin under physiological conditions.