NADPH-diaphorase activity in the hypothalamic magnocellular neurosecretory nuclei of the rat.
A histochemical study of the distribution of NADPH diaphorase activity in the hypothalamus of normal rats was carried out. Our study demonstrates the presence of NADPH-diaphorase activity in the circularis and anterior and posterior fornicals nuclei for the first time. Additionally, we confirm the presence of NADPH-diaphorase-stained neurons in the paraventricular (both magno- and parvicellular neurons) and supraoptic nuclei, as well as a population of isolated positive neurons (not included in any hypothalamic nuclei) located among the different nuclei. Because NADPH diaphorase has recently been shown to be a nitric oxide synthase, our study reveals a wide presence of this enzymatic activity in the hypothalamus of the rat.
Arévalo
R
R
Department of Cell Biology and Pathology (Faculty of Biology), (Faculty of Medicine), University of Salamanca, Spain.
Sánchez
F
F
Alonso
J R
JR
Carretero
J
J
Vázquez
R
R
Aijón
J
J
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000201:enzymology*; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013495:Supraoptic Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology
D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase