Localization of NO synthase in rat brain by [3H]L-NG-nitro-arginine autoradiography.
Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical gas that acts as a neural messenger, is produced from L-arginine by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The present study describes the autoradiographic localization throughout rat brain of the binding of [3H]L-NG-nitro-arginine ([3H]L-NOARG), a reversible NOS inhibitor, and confirms the heterogeneous distribution of the NOS enzyme. [3H]L-NOARG binding was enriched in discrete neuronal populations and the distribution observed was identical to that previously described for NOS using immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and NADPH-diaphorase staining. [3H]L-NOARG autoradiography should be a useful method for the further characterization and quantification of NOS in brain and other tissues.
University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Vic, Australia.
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Burazin
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Gundlach
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D001345:Autoradiography; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019335:Nitroarginine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014316:Tritium
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D014316:Tritium; D019335:Nitroarginine; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase