Objectives. To determine the location, percentage composition, and morphometric properties of sympathetic preganglionic neurons containing NO synthase (NOS) in the spinal cord in rats. Materials and methods. Studies were performed on 35 white female Wistar rats aged 3, 10, 20, 30, and 60 days, six months, and three years. Spinal cord sections made at the level of segment T2 were used for immunohistochemical detection of NOS and the acetylcholine-synthesizing enzyme choline acetyltransferase (CAT). The areas of nerve cells and the proportions of immunoreactive neurons were determined. Results. Most sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal cords of neonatal and 10-day-old rats contained NOS and also CAT. Rats of these age groups also contained a population of NOS-positive/CAT-negative neurons (26% in neonates and 8% in 10-day-old animals), which was not seen in older animals. During the first 20 days, the proportion of NOS-immunopositive neurons decreased significantly, while that of CAT-positive neurons increased. Conclusions. In early postnatal ontogeny there was a decrease in the number of sympathetic preganglionic neurons expressing NOS, which may have influences on the mechanisms of NO-ergic sympathetic transmission.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
E. A. Kolos and D. E. Korzhevskii, “Distribution of cholinergic and nitroxidergic neurons in the spinal cord of neonatal and adult rats,” Morfologiya, 147, No. 2, 32–37 (2015).
P. M. Masliukov, A. I. Emanuilov, and A. D. Nozdrachev, “Developmental changes in the neurotransmitter composition of neurons in the sympathetic ganglia,” Usp. Gerontol., 29, No. 3, 442–453 (2016).
G. F. Sitdikova, A. V. Yakovlev, and A. L. Zefi rov, “Gaseous transmitters: from toxic effects to the regulation cell functions and clinical exploitation,” Byull. Sibirsk. Med., 13, No. 6, 185–200 (2014).
M. Cossenza, R. Socodato, 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. Emanuilov, M. B. Korzina, 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, 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, “Age-dependent changes of electrophysiologic characteristics of the stellate ganglion conducting pathways in kittens,” Auton. Neurosci., 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, 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,” 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.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moiseyev, K.Y., Masliukov, P.M. Developmental Changes in NO-Containing Sympathetic Neurons in the Spinal Cord in Rats. Neurosci Behav Physi 49, 379–383 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-019-00744-w
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-019-00744-w