Dun N J, Dun S L, Wu S Y, Förstermann U, Schmidt H H, Tseng L F
Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43614.
Neuroscience. 1993 Jun;54(4):845-57. doi: 10.1016/0306-4522(93)90579-5.
The distribution of nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive neurons was examined in the spinal cord of rats, mice, cats and squirrel monkeys at the light microscopic level. Some sections were processed for choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity. Double-labeling techniques were used to assess possible co-localization of nitric oxide synthase and choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity in the same spinal neurons. Nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive neurons were concentrated in three fairly well-defined regions of the spinal cord of all species studied: (i) the intermediolateral cell column of the thoracic and sacral segments, (ii) lamina X of all segments, and (iii) the superficial layers of the dorsal horn of all segments. A few nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive neurons were scattered in the deeper laminae and the ventral horn. There were fewer nitric oxide synthase-positive neurons in monkey spinal lamina X and dorsal horn than in similar locations of rodents and felines. Double-staining showed that not all choline acetyltransferase-positive neurons in the intermediate cell column and lamina X were nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive. In the ventral horn, choline acetyltransferase-positive neurons (presumed motoneurons) were nitric oxide synthase-negative. In addition to cell bodies, nitric oxide synthase-positive fibers were scattered in the dorsal, lateral and ventral horns of all species. Finally, punctate nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive fibers were seen traversing the dorsal, lateral and ventral white matter, and reaching the respective gray matter. The present study shows that, in spite of quantitative differences, the pattern of distribution of nitric oxide synthase-positive neurons in the spinal cord was similar across the four species. The concentration of nitric oxide synthase-positive neurons in the autonomic nuclei and laminae I, II and X of all four species underscores a prominent role of these neurons in visceral and sensory functions.
在光镜水平下，研究了大鼠、小鼠、猫和松鼠猴脊髓中一氧化氮合酶免疫反应性神经元的分布。部分切片进行了胆碱乙酰转移酶免疫反应性处理。采用双重标记技术评估一氧化氮合酶和胆碱乙酰转移酶免疫反应性在同一脊髓神经元中的可能共定位。一氧化氮合酶免疫反应性神经元集中在所研究的所有物种脊髓的三个相当明确的区域：（i）胸段和骶段的中间外侧细胞柱，（ii）所有节段的X层，以及（iii）所有节段背角的浅层。少数一氧化氮合酶免疫反应性神经元散在于较深的板层和腹角。猴脊髓X层和背角中一氧化氮合酶阳性神经元比啮齿动物和猫科动物类似部位的少。双重染色显示，中间细胞柱和X层中并非所有胆碱乙酰转移酶阳性神经元都是一氧化氮合酶免疫反应性的。在腹角，胆碱乙酰转移酶阳性神经元（推测为运动神经元）是一氧化氮合酶阴性的。除了细胞体，一氧化氮合酶阳性纤维散在于所有物种的背角、外侧角和腹角。最后，可见点状一氧化氮合酶免疫反应性纤维穿过背侧、外侧和腹侧白质，并到达各自的灰质。本研究表明，尽管存在数量差异，但四种物种脊髓中一氧化氮合酶阳性神经元的分布模式相似。所有四种物种的自主神经核以及I、II和X层中一氧化氮合酶阳性神经元的集中，突出了这些神经元在内脏和感觉功能中的重要作用。
