Objectives. To determine the locations, percentage composition, and morphometric characteristics of sympathetic preganglionic neurons containing NO synthase (NOS) in the spinal cord of rats. Materials and methods. Experiments were performed on 35 white female Wistar rats aged 3, 10, 20, 30, and 60 days, 6 months, and 3 years. Immunohistochemical detection of NOS and the acetylcholine synthesis enzyme choline acetyltransferase (CAT) was performed on sections of spinal cord made at the level of segment T2. The areas of nerve cells and the proportions of immunoreactive neurons were determined. Results. Most sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord of neonates and 10-day-old rats contained both NOS and CAT. At these age groups, rats also had a population of NOS-positive/CAT-negative neurons (26% in neonates and 8% in 10-day-old animals), this population was not seen in older animals. During the first 20 days, the proportion of NOS-immunopositive neurons decreased significantly, while the population of CAT-positive neurons increased. Conclusions. There was a reduction in the number of sympathetic preganglionic neurons expressing NOS during early postnatal ontogeny, which may influence the mechanisms of NO-ergic sympathetic transmission.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
E. A. Kolos and D. E. Korzhevskii, “The distribution of cholinergic and nitroxidergic neurons in the spinal cord in neonatal and adult rats,” Morfologiya, 147, No. 2, 32–37 ( 2015).
P. M. Maslyukov, A. I. Emanuilov, and A. D. Nozdrachev, “Developmental changes in neurotransmitter composition of neurons in sympathetic ganglia,” Usp. Gerontol., 29, No. 3, 442–453 (2016).
G. F. Sitdikova, A. V. Yakovlev, and A. L. Zefirov, “Gaseous transmitters: from toxic effects to the regulation of cell function and clinical applications,” Byull. Sibirsk. Med., 13, No. 6, 185–200 (2014).
M. Cossenza, R. Socodato, and C. C. Portugal, et al., “Nitric oxide in the nervous system: biochemical, developmental, and neurobiological aspects,” Vitam. Horm., 96, 79–125 (2014).
S. A. Deuchars and V. K. Lall, “Sympathetic preganglionic neurons: properties and inputs,” Compr. Physiol., 5, No. 2, 829–869 (2015).
A. I. Emnuilov, M. B. Korzina, and L. I. Archakova, et al., “Development of the NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons in the sympathetic ganglia,” Ann. Anat., 190, No. 6, 516–524 (2008).
J. P. Foong, “Postnatal development of the mouse enteric nervous system,” Adv. Exp. Med. Biol., 891, 135–143 (2016).
J. Garthwaite, “From synaptically localized to volume transmission by nitric oxide,” J. Physiol., 594, 9–18 (2016).
P. M. Masliukov, A. I. Emanuilov, and L. V. Madalieva, et al., “Development of nNOS-positive neurons in the rat sensory and sympathetic ganglia,” Neuroscience, 256, 271–281 (2014).
P. M. Masliukov, M. M. Fateev, and A. D. Nozdrachev, “Agedependent changes of electrophysiologic characteristics of the stellate ganglion conducting pathways in kittens,” Auton. Neuroscience, 83, No. 1–2, 12–18 (2000).
P. E. Phelps, R. P. Barber, and J. E. Vaughn, “Embryonic development of choline acetyltransferase in thoracic spinal motor neurons: somatic and autonomic neurons may be derived from a common cellular group,” J. Comp. Neurol., 307, No. 1, 77–86 (1991).
A. Philippu, “Nitric oxide: A universal modulator of brain function,” Curr. Med. Chem., 23, 2643–2652 (2016).
J. P. Timmermans, M. Barbiers, and D. W. Scheuermann, et al., “Distribution pattern, neurochemical features and projections of nitrergic neurons in the pig small intestine,” Ann. Anat., 176, 515–525 (1994).
R. Wetts and J. E. Vaughn, “Choline acetyltransferase and NADPH diaphorase are co-expressed in rat spinal cord neurons,” Neuroscience, 63, No. 4, 1117–1124 (1994).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Translated from Morfologiya, Vol. 153, No. 1, pp. 23–27, January–February, 2018. Original article submitted September 18, 2017. Revised version received October 28, 2017.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moiseev, K.Y., Maslyukov, P.M. Developmental Changes in NO-Containing Sympathetic Neurons in the Spinal Cord in Rats. Neurosci Behav Physi 49, 95–98 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-018-0699-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-018-0699-9