title: Early abundance of nerves containing NO synthase in the airways of newborn pigs and subsequent decrease with age.
abstract: We have localized by immunocytochemistry, and quantified by intercept counting, NO-synthase-containing nerves in newborn pig intrapulmonary airways and maturational changes in their density in juvenile and adult lung. NO-synthase-containing nerves supplying airway smooth muscle and epithelium were evident at all ages (< 2 h, 1-2 days, 3-5 days, 6-10 days, 10 and 16 weeks). They were most abundant in neonates, and their density decreased with age (intercepts/mm2 +/- SEM: newborn, 94 +/- 3.3; 16 weeks, 7 +/- 0.3; P < 0.001), as did their percentage of the total nerves defined by the general neuronal marker PGP 9.5 (newborn, 38 +/- 2.7%; 16 weeks, 18 +/- 2.3%; P < 0.01). Neural-derived NO may be important in pulmonary adaptation to extra-uterine life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histochemistry, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Buttery
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Springall
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hislop
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Haworth
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Polak
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase