Background The signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO) is known to activate the enzyme NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NOGC). By generation of the intracellular second messenger cGMP NO-GC regulates many physiological processes. In the gastrointestinal (GI) tract nitrergic neurons are part of the enteric nervous system which regulates GI motility. In addition, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are ...

Increase in hyperglycaemia-induced oxidative stress and decreased effectiveness of endogenous defense mechanisms plays an essential role in the initiation of diabetes-related neuropathy. We demonstrated that nitrergic myenteric neurons display different susceptibilities to diabetic damage in different gut segments. Therefore, we aim to reveal the gut segment-specific differences in the expressi...

The distribution of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), the probable pacemakers in gastrointestinal motility, was investigated using an antigenic marker of gastric ICC known as C-Kit. Antiserum raised against the general neuronal marker protein gene peptide 9.5 (PGP) as well as the nitrergic neuronal marker neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) were used to investigate the distribution of gastri...

The present study investigated the effect of acute thermal stimulation in conscious rats on the production of Fos, a marker of increased neuronal activity, in spinally projecting and nitrergic neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). The PVN contains a high concentration of nitrergic neurons, as well as neurons that project to the intermediolateral cell column (IML) of the spi...

The common carotid artery (CCA) supplies intra- and extra-cranial vascular beds. An area in the medulla controlling CCA blood flow is defined as the dorsal facial area (DFA) by Kuo et al. in 1987. In the DFA, presynaptic nitrergic and/or glutamatergic fibers innervate preganglionic nitrergic and/or cholinergic neurons which give rise to the preganglionic fibers of the parasympathetic 7th and 9t...

Carvalho, Paula, William H. Thompson, and Nirmal B. Charan. Comparative effects of a-receptor stimulation and nitrergic inhibition on bronchovascular tone. J Appl Physiol 88: 1685–1689, 2000.—Adrenergic agonists are known to influence bronchial blood flow and bronchovascular resistance. Recently, the nitrergic system has also been implicated in the control of bronchovascular tone. In this study...

Nitric oxide (NO) mediated slow inhibitory junction potential and mechanical relaxation after electrical field stimulation (EFS) is impaired in diabetes mellitus. Externally added NO donor restore nitrergic function, indicating that this reduction result from diminution of NO synthesis within the pre-junctional nerve terminals. The present study aimed to investigate two specific aims that may p...

Fasting gastric fundus tone is maintained by continuous cholinergic input. 5-Hydroxytryptamine-1 (5-HT1) receptor activation decreases gastric fundus tone in humans. Whether this fundus-relaxing effect is mediated via inhibition of cholinergic input or via activation of a nitrergic pathway is unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of nitrergic inhibition on feline gas...