Patterns of nitric oxide synthase expression in the developing superior colliculus.
Rev Bras Biol
; 56 Su 1 Pt 1: 113-22, 1996 Dec.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9394494
Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized in cells of both the central and peripheral nervous system and has been implicated in several forms of synaptic plasticity. The enzyme that produces NO, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), can be visualized in the brain by the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase histochemistry technique (NADPH-d). We have used NADPH-d activity to detect the presence of NOS-positive cells in the developing rat superior colliculus. Our results showed that NOS is present in cells and neuropil in the developing and adult rat superior colliculus. The first NOS-positive cells appeared at postnatal day 7 and were weakly stained. The number and intensity of the NOS-positive cells increased progressively during the following days reaching a maximum at postnatal day 15. By the end of the third postnatal week, both the number and intensity of stained cells showed an adult-like pattern. The NOS-positive cells showed a Golgi-like morphology and we have found that all cell types present in the superior colliculus express the enzyme. The expression of NOS by tectal cells parallels the functional development of the retino-collicular and cortico-tectal projections and suggest that nitric oxide synthase-positive cells might be involved in this process. In this review we highlighted some of the recent descriptions of the expression of NOS in the mammalian visual system with emphasis in the superior colliculus and correlate these findings with several developmental events taking place in this structure.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Córtex Visual
/
Colículos Superiores
/
Óxido Nítrico Sintase
/
Plasticidade Neuronal
/
Óxido Nítrico
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Rev Bras Biol
Ano de publicação:
1996
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Brasil
País de publicação:
Brasil