title: NADPH-diaphorase reactivity in nerves supplying the rat anococcygeus muscle.
abstract: NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry was used to establish the nature of neurons and nerve fibers in the rat anococcygeus muscle. NADPH-diaphorase-reactive nerve cell bodies were found in ganglia in the caudal dorsal fascia of the muscle and within the muscle itself. The reactive nerve cells had a relatively smooth surface and a single axon. They formed bundles of positive nerve fibers which entered the muscle and branched further to form a network extending towards the cranial end. In addition, bundles of NADPH-diaphorase-reactive fibers of extrinsic origin joined the loose plexus of local bundles and microganglia. The NADPH-diaphorase-reactive neurons supplying the rat anococcygeus muscle provide a neuroanatomical basis for the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic relaxation of the muscle mediated by nitric oxide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Physiology, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide.
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Brookes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000294:innervation; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000201:enzymology; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase