title: NADPH-diaphorase reactivity in articular afferents of a normal and inflamed knee joint in the cat.
abstract: The distribution of NADPH-diaphorase was studied in retrogradely labelled dorsal root ganglion cells innervating the knee joint of the cat. A strong staining reaction was found in 7.5 +/- 1.9% (mean +/- S.D. of 9 normal joints and 6393 labelled perikarya) of the articular afferents. An acute inflammation (32 h) significantly increased this proportion to 10.9 +/- 2.2% (mean +/- S.D. of 5 inflamed joints and 3933 labelled perikarya). The diameter distribution of the somata with a positive NADPH-diaphorase reaction ranged from 18 to 46 microns with a maximum at 24-28 microns. These data indicate that a small proportion of knee joint primary afferents may be able to release nitric oxide playing a role in synaptic transmission and in regulatory functions within the peripheral tissue under normal and pathophysiological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Physiologisches Institut, Universität Würzburg, FRG.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bscheidl
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hanesch
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heppelmann
mesh_terms: D000578:Amidines; D000818:Animals; D002351:Carrageenan; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000201:enzymology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000201:enzymology*; D007616:Kaolin; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000201:enzymology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000578:Amidines; C031455:diamidino compound 253-50; D007616:Kaolin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002351:Carrageenan; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase