Nitric oxide synthase containing neurons in the ventral lateral geniculate of the rat project to the optic pretectal nuclei.
We combined fluorescent tracing with immunohistochemistry to examine nitric oxide synthase (NOS) containing neurons in the rat ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN). NOS immunopositive neurons in vLGN had a similar appearance to previously described NADPH-d positive neurons. The majority (96%) of the NOS immunopositive neurons in vLGN projected to the pretectal nuclei and these represented 16% of all the vLGN neurons that project to the pretectal nuclei. No NOS immunopositive neurons projected to the superior colliculus. Co-localization of NADPH-d and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been reported in vLGN neurons but we found few cells containing both NOS and GABA.
Meng
X W
XW
Department of Anatomy and W.M. Keck Foundation Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0452, USA.
Ohara
P T
PT
Ralston
H J
HJ
D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013266:Stilbamidines; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis
C049774:2-hydroxy-4,4'-diamidinostilbene, methanesulfonate salt; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013266:Stilbamidines; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase