Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry Priciples for Free Access to Science
  Search:   
    >> Advanced Search

Guidelines | Subscriptions | About | exPRESS - Current - Archive | Business Information | Contact
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by López-Figueroa, M. O.
Right arrow Articles by Møller, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by López-Figueroa, M. O.
Right arrow Articles by Møller, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, Vol. 45, 1121-1128, Copyright © 1997 by The Histochemical Society, Inc.

ARTICLE

Innervation of the Sheep Pineal Gland by Nonsympathetic Nerve Fibers Containing NADPH-diaphorase Activity

Manuel O. López-Figueroaa, Jean-Paul Ravaultb, Bruno Cozzic, and Morten Møllera
a Institute of Medical Anatomy, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
b Station de Physiologie de la Reproduction, INRA, Nouzilly, France
c Institute of Anatomy of Domestic Animals, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Correspondence to: Manuel O. López-Figueroa, Mental Health Research Inst., U. of Michigan, 205 Zina Pitcher Pl., Ann Arbor, MI 48109.

We used the NADPH-diaphorase histochemical method as a potential marker for nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-containing nerve fibers innervating the pineal gland of the sheep. Nerve fibers containing NADPH-diaphorase activity provide dense innervation of the sheep pineal gland. The nerve fibers were located in the pineal capsule, in the connective tissue septae separating the lobuli of the gland, and penetrating between the pinealocytes. The nerve fibers were either smooth or endowed with boutons en passant. After bilateral removal of the superior cervical ganglion, the dense network of NADPH-diaphorase-positive fibers was still present in the gland. Ganglionectomy affected neither the distribution nor the appearance of the NADPH-diaphorase-positive fibers. Most of the NADPH-diaphorase-positive fibers also contained peptide histidine isoleucine and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and a comparatively smaller fraction contained neuropeptide Y. Pinealocytes never exhibited NADPH-diaphorase activity. These results demonstrate a major neural input to the sheep pineal gland with NADPH-diaphorase-positive nerve fibers of nonsympathetic origin. (J Histochem Cytochem 45:1121-1128, 1997)

Key Words: NADPH-diaphorase, nitric oxide, innervation, superior cervical ganglionectomy, peptide histidine isoleucine, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, neuropeptide Y


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Pharmacol. Rev.Home page
V. Simonneaux and C. Ribelayga
Generation of the Melatonin Endocrine Message in Mammals: A Review of the Complex Regulation of Melatonin Synthesis by Norepinephrine, Peptides, and Other Pineal Transmitters
Pharmacol. Rev., June 1, 2003; 55(2): 325 - 395.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]



Guidelines | Subscriptions | About | exPRESS - Current - Archive | Business Information | Contact
The Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry is owned, published, and licensed by The Histochemical Society © 1997