Evidence for NOS-containing renal neuronal somata transiently expressing a catecholaminergic phenotype during development in the rat.
Transiently catecholaminergic cells (TC-cells) expressing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) have been shown in a variety of tissues during embryonic life. To investigate the possible relationship of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-containing renal neuronal somata (RNS) and the TC-cells, we examined serial 100 microm slices of whole kidneys for TH-immunofluorescence and NADPH-d histochemistry during prenatal and postnatal development. The number of TH-cells increased during the prenatal period, peaked at birth and were very rare by PD21. A subpopulation of TH-immunoreactive RNS displayed NADPH-d activity. By PD21 the TH-positive RNS had practically disappeared while the number of NADPH-d positive RNS was markedly increased. These results suggest that kidneys possess transient catecholaminergic cells which display NOS-activity and that NOS expression may be the end-point in the differentiation of the RNS.
Liu
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Department of Pathology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
Liu
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GL
Barajas
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L
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D009249:NADP / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D002395:Catecholamines; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D009249:NADP; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide