Nitric oxide (NO) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Its main effector, NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO-GC), is expressed in several GI cell types, including smooth muscle cells (SMC), interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), and fibroblast-like cells. Up to date, the interplay between neurons and these cells to initiate a nitrergic inhibitory junction potent...

The distinction between metabolic and structural changes occurring in autonomic neurons during diabetes has not been fully clarified. Here we demonstrate that nitric oxide synthase-containing (nitrergic) neurons innervating the penis and gastric pylorus of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats undergo a selective degenerative process in two phases. In the first phase, nitrergic nerve fibers lose...

Although the morphology and development of the zebrafish enteric nervous system have been extensively studied, the precise neurochemical coding of enteric neurons and their proportional enteric distribution are currently not known. By using immunohistochemistry, we determined the proportional expression and coexpression of neurochemical markers in the embryonic and adult zebrafish intestine. Ty...

Purinergic and nitrergic neurotransmission predominantly mediate inhibitory neuromuscular transmission in the rat colon. We studied the sensitivity of both purinergic and nitrergic pathways to spadin, a TWIK-related potassium channel 1 (TREK1) inhibitor, apamin, a small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel blocker and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-α]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a specific inhi...

Nitrergic neurotransmission at the smooth muscle neuromuscular junctions requires nitric oxide (NO) release that is dependent on the transport and docking of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) α to the membrane of nerve terminals. However, the mechanism of translocation of nNOSα in actin-rich varicosities is unknown. We report here that the processive motor protein myosin Va is necessary for nitrergic...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE We have previously demonstrated that L-NMMA (NG-monomethyl-L-arginine) selectively inhibits vasodilatation produced by endothelium-derived nitric oxide but not nitrergic nerves in the bovine penile artery. The present study investigated whether L-NMMA had a similar selective action in the bovine ciliary artery. We also investigated whether two recently introduced inhibito...

In the present study, we have characterized the presence and distribution of cGMP-gated cationic channels (CNG) in the rat urethra as well as its putative role in the mediation of the nitrergic relaxation. Previous studies have shown the inhibition of the sheep urethral nitrergic relaxations by the CNG's inhibitor L-cis-diltiazem [1]. Also in the rat urethra, L-cis-diltiazem (50 M) inhibited n...

Cham, Joo Lee, Rudi Klein, Neil C. Owens, Michael Mathai, Michael McKinley, and Emilio Badoer. Activation of spinally projecting and nitrergic neurons in the PVN following heat exposure. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 291: R91–R101, 2006; doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00675.2005.—The present study investigated the effect of acute thermal stimulation in conscious rats on the production of Fos, a m...

The Fawn-Hooded rat (FHR), a model for primary pulmonary hypertension, shows an unexplained hypersensitivity to airway hypoxia. Because pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs) appear to express a functional oxygen-sensing mechanism and an extensive sensory innervation, possible changes in this system should be taken into consideration. In the present study a comparative analysis of NEBs and the...