title: The distribution of nitric oxide synthase-containing autonomic preganglionic terminals in the rat.
abstract: Nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-immunoreactivity was co-localised with NADPH diaphorase activity in preganglionic sympathetic neurons and in their terminals in pre- and paravertebral sympathetic ganglia. The density of NOS-containing terminals varied between ganglia. Reactive terminals were densest in the superior cervical, stellate and inferior mesenteric ganglia, where the majority of the neurons were surrounded by reactive fibres, and the coeliac and superior mesenteric ganglia, where about half the postganglionic somata were surrounded by reactive terminals. Fibres were least abundant in the pelvic ganglia and thoracic and lumbar sympathetic chain ganglia. NOS reactivity did not coincide with the distribution of calcitonin gene related peptide immunoreactivity, a marker for the terminals of NOS-containing sensory neurons in the rat. The distribution of nerve cells and terminals suggests that NOS is present in more than one functional subpopulation of sympathetic preganglionic neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Furness
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bredt
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Snyder
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001339:Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic / Q000201:enzymology*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000276:immunology; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000201:enzymology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide