Dissociation of nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity and NADPH-diaphorase enzyme activity in rat pituitary.

Journal article

The relationship between nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunocytochemistry and NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry was investigated in the anterior and posterior pituitary of ovariectomized rats. NADPH-d activity was present throughout the posterior pituitary but could not be detected in the anterior pituitary. By contrast, an antibody raised against whole recombinant rat neuronal NOS revealed strongly NOS-immunoreactive gonadotrophs and folliculo-stellate cells scattered throughout the anterior pituitary in addition to immunoreactive fibres in the posterior pituitary. The study demonstrates that NADPH-d histochemistry is not always coincident with NOS and provides evidence for an as yet uncharacterized subtype of NOS in the rat anterior pituitary.

Authors: Wang, H; Christian, H; Morris, J

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of endocrinology
• Volume: 154
• Issue: 3
• Pages: R7-11
• Publication date: 1997-09-01
• DOI: 10.1677/joe.0.154r007
• EISSN: 1479-6805
• ISSN: 0022-0795
• Language: English
• Keywords: NADPH Dehydrogenase; Rats, Inbred Strains; Immunohistochemistry; Pituitary Gland, Anterior; Rats; Female; Pituitary Gland, Posterior; Histocytochemistry; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Animals; Ovariectomy; Pituitary Gland