The distribution and colocalisation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced-diaphorase (NADPH-d)-/nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-containing neurons in the innervation of the duck ureter.
ensp;The distribution and colocalisation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced-diaphorase (NADPH-d)-/nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-containing (nitrergic) neurons in the innervation of the duck ureter have been studied using histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Quantitative analysis showed that nitrergic neurons made up 60% and 70% of the total intramural and adventitial neuronal populations, respectively. About 40% of intramural nitrergic neurons expressed VIP-immunoreactivity, and about 75% of nitrergic adventitial neurons expressed TH-immunoreactivity. The density of nitrergic adventitial neurons was significantly greater in the lower tract than in the upper and intermediate tracts. Nerve lesioning experiments showed that the majority of ureteral nitrergic innervation was extrinsic in origin; nitrergic adventitial neurons primarily projected caudocranially, whereas NOS-immunoreactive and NOS-/VIP-immunoreactive intramural neurons primarily projected craniocaudally. These findings suggest that, in birds, the nitrergic innervation plays a role in ureteral functions such as epithelial mucosecretion, muscular motility, and the closing and/or opening of the ureteral papilla.
Mirabella
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Department of Biological Structures, Functions and Technology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Veterinaria 1, 80137 Naples, Italy. mirabell@unina.it
Germano
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G
Langella
M
M
Lamanna
C
C
Paino
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G
D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000201:enzymology*; D002452:Cell Count; D003714:Denervation; D004372:Ducks / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014513:Ureter / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism
D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase