Study of Nitric Oxide in Rat Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons
Author Information
Author(s): Sardella T.C.P., Polgár E., Watanabe M., Todd A.J.
Primary Institution: University of Glasgow
Hypothesis
nNOS is largely restricted to inhibitory interneurons in the spinal dorsal horn.
Conclusion
nNOS is expressed in both inhibitory and excitatory neurons in the spinal dorsal horn, with a significant proportion of excitatory interneurons also expressing nNOS.
Supporting Evidence
- nNOS is expressed by nearly 20% of neurons in lamina II and 5% of those in laminae I and III.
- The majority of nNOS neurons in laminae II and III are not GABAergic.
- Between 7 and 13% of GABAergic boutons in laminae I–III are nNOS-immunoreactive.
- nNOS axons form few synapses with PKCγ+ excitatory interneurons.
Takeaway
This study looked at how a special protein called nNOS is found in nerve cells in the spinal cord, showing that it's in both the 'off' and 'on' cells that help control pain.
Methodology
The study used confocal microscopy and immunocytochemistry to analyze nNOS expression in spinal cord sections from adult male Wistar rats.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in sampling methods and the interpretation of immunostaining results.
Limitations
The study may not account for all types of neurons in the spinal cord, and the results are based on a specific rat model.
Participant Demographics
12 adult male Wistar rats, weighing between 230–340 g.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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