Localization of nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive neurons in the solitary nucleus and ventrolateral medulla oblongata of the rat: their relation to catecholaminergic neurons.
The morphological relationship between nitric oxide (NO) and catecholamines in the solitary nucleus (SOL) and ventrolateral medulla oblongata (VLM) was studied by a double immunostaining method with antibodies against NO synthase (NOS), an NO-synthesizing enzyme, and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme. Although NOS- and TH-immunoreactive neurons were widely distributed in the SOL and VLM, these immunoreactivities did not coexist in any single neurons. NOS-immunoreactive neurons formed clusters in some restricted regions, i.e. in the medial subnucleus of the SOL, where both NOS- and TH-immunoreactive neurons showed a complementary distribution. These findings suggest that NO-producing neurons constitute a subclass that is distinct from that of catecholaminergic neurons.
Ohta
A
A
First Department of Anatomy, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
Takagi
H
H
Matsui
T
T
Hamai
Y
Y
Iida
S
S
Esumi
H
H
D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D002395:Catecholamines; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases