Sympathetic preganglionic neurons contain nitric oxide synthase and project to the superior cervical ganglion: Combined application of retrograde neuronal tracer and NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry |
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| Authors: | Hitoshi Okamura Kaori Umehara Nobukatsu Tadaki Yasuo Hisa Hiroyasu Esumi Yasuhiko Ibata |
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| Affiliation: | aDepartment of Anatomy, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602, Japan;bThird Department of Internal Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602, Japan;cDepartment of Otolaryngology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto 602, Japan;dNational Cancer Center Research Institute, Kashiwa, Chiba 277, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Nitric Oxide (NO), which was initally identified as an endothelium-derived relaxing factor, has recently been demonstrated to be a neuronal messenger in central and peripheral nervous systems. In the present study, we examined the possibility of NO producing neurons in the intermediolateral (IML) cell collum of the thoracic spinal cord (Th) project to the superior cervical ganglion (SCG). First, we observed the NADPH-diaphorase-positive/nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-immunoreactive neurons of the IML and the dorsal part of the central canal at the level of Th1–Th3, and numerous fiber-stainings in the superior cervical ganglion. Second, after injecting WGA-HRP (wheat germ agglutinin-horse radish peroxidase complex), a retrograde neuronal tracer, into the SCG, and developing WGA-immunohistochemistry and the NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry in the same sections, we detected double-labeled neurons in the IML. These findings provide evidence that sympathetic preganglionic NO producing neurons directly innervate to the SCG. |
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| Keywords: | Superior cervical ganglion Sympathetic preganglionic neurons Nitric oxide synthase NADPH-diaphorase |
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