Panzica G C, Arévalo R, Sánchez F, Alonso J R, Aste N, Viglietti-Panzica C, Aijón J, Vázquez R
Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Torino, Italy.
J Comp Neurol. 1994 Apr 1;342(1):97-114. doi: 10.1002/cne.903420110.
The distribution of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase activity was histochemically investigated in the Japanese quail brain. This enzyme is now considered responsible for the synthesis of nitric oxide, a novel neural messenger whose distribution has not been described in the avian brain until now. The histochemical technique provides a simple and reliable method for staining selected populations of neurons throughout the avian brain. In the telencephalon several regions showed heavily stained NADPH-diaphorase positive neurons and processes. In particular the paleostriatal-paraolfactory lobe complex showed the greatest presence of both positive cells and processes. Neurons and processes were also observed in several regions of the hyperstriatum as well as in the archistriatal nucleus taeniae. Some regions, such as the ectostriatum and the hippocampus, had no positive elements. In the diencephalon, the magnocellular hypothalamic system, which in mammals shows NADPH-diaphorase activity, did not show any particular accumulation of reaction product. On the contrary, retinorecipient areas, such as the visual suprachiasmatic nucleus and the lateral geniculate complex, displayed a composite structure of both positive neurons and processes. The brainstem revealed a large NADPH-diaphorase positive population extending through the tegmental nuclei to the locus coeruleus and subcoeruleus. A complex organization was also observed in the optic lobe, where fusiform elements were distributed within the stratum griseum and superficialis of the tectum. In the medulla, a dense terminal field was observed at the level of the nucleus of the solitary tract, whereas scattered neurons were located within the reticular nuclei. Although the staining of neurons and tracts was highly selective, the positive cells did not correspond to any single known neurotransmitter, neuropeptide, or neuroactive molecule system. Several sensory pathways were heavily stained for the NADPH-diaphorase, including part of the olfactory, visual, and auditory pathways. The findings of the present study reveal that the NADPH-diaphorase-containing systems in the avian brain are organized according to a pattern comparable, because of its complexity, to that observed in mammals. However, important interspecific differences suggest that this novel neural system might be involved in diverse tasks.
用组织化学方法研究了日本鹌鹑脑中还原型烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸磷酸（NADPH）-黄递酶活性的分布。目前认为这种酶负责一氧化氮的合成，一氧化氮是一种新型神经信使，其在鸟类脑中的分布迄今尚未见报道。组织化学技术为在整个鸟类脑中对特定神经元群体进行染色提供了一种简单可靠的方法。在端脑中，几个区域显示出大量被重度染色的NADPH-黄递酶阳性神经元和神经突起。特别是古纹状体-副嗅叶复合体中阳性细胞和神经突起最多。在新纹状体的几个区域以及带状旧纹状体核中也观察到了神经元和神经突起。一些区域，如外纹状体和海马体，没有阳性成分。在间脑中，在哺乳动物中显示NADPH-黄递酶活性的大细胞下丘脑系统没有显示出任何特殊的反应产物积累。相反，视网膜接受区，如视觉上交叉核和外侧膝状体复合体，显示出阳性神经元和神经突起的复合结构。脑干显示出大量NADPH-黄递酶阳性群体，从被盖核延伸到蓝斑和蓝斑下核。在视叶中也观察到一个复杂的结构，梭形细胞分布在中脑顶盖的灰质层和浅表层。在延髓中，在孤束核水平观察到一个密集的终末场，而在网状核中有散在的神经元。尽管对神经元和神经束的染色具有高度选择性，但阳性细胞并不对应于任何单一已知的神经递质、神经肽或神经活性分子系统。几条感觉通路对NADPH-黄递酶有重度染色，包括部分嗅觉、视觉和听觉通路。本研究结果表明，鸟类脑中含NADPH-黄递酶的系统的组织模式因其复杂性与在哺乳动物中观察到的模式相当。然而，重要的种间差异表明，这个新型神经系统可能参与多种任务。
