title: Differential histochemical localization patterns of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase during postnatal development of the rat vomeronasal organ.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to examine the localization patterns of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) by enzyme histochemistry and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) by immunohistochemistry in the vomeronasal organ of rat from postnatal day 0 for 8 weeks (adult). Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase activity was not observed in the sensory epithelium of the vomeronasal organ at postnatal day 0 (the day of birth) and at day 1. At postnatal day 2, NADPH-d activity was observed in several vomeronasal neurons and on the surface of the sensory epithelium. From 25 days through adulthood, the number of vomeronasal neurons having NADPH-d activity increased gradually. On the other hand, neuronal NOS immunoreactivity was not observed in the sensory epithelium of the vomeronasal organ in newborns or in the adult rat. In this study, it is suggested that the nitric oxide pathway in the sensory epithelium of the vomeronasal organ comes into play beyond postnatal day 3. Moreover, it was found that NADPH-d and neuronal NOS are not colocalized in the sensory epithelium of the developing rat vomeronasal organ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Oral Histology, The University of Tokushima School of Dentistry, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8504, Japan. fumio@dent.tokushima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nasu
authors.forename: Tatsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haneji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D019147:Vomeronasal Organ / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase