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Immunolocalisation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase at the neuromuscular junction of MDX mice: a confocal microscopy study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2001

ELAINE CRISTINA L. PEREIRA ,
HUMBERTO SANTO NETO  and
MARIA JULIA MARQUES
ELAINE CRISTINA L. PEREIRA
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
HUMBERTO SANTO NETO
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
MARIA JULIA MARQUES
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
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Abstract

The distribution of nitric oxide synthase at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of normal, denervated and mdx mice was studied using a specific antibody against the neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Fluorescence confocal microscopy demonstrated that nNOS immunoreactivity was localised mainly in the sarcolemma and presynaptic region covering acetylcholine receptor branches. The expression of presynaptic nNOS was greatly reduced in dystrophin-deficient muscles. In normal denervated muscles, nNOS was still present in the presynaptic region and there were no qualitative changes in the expression of this protein. These results suggest that the presynaptic distribution of nNOS is associated with terminal Schwann cells. The relationship between nNOS and the presynaptic components of the neuromuscular junction may open new perspectives for improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of dystrophic muscles.

Keywords

skeletal musclesarcolemmadystrophinSchwann cells
Type
Papers
Information
The Journal of Anatomy , Volume 198 , Issue 6 , June 2001 , pp. 663 - 671
Copyright
© Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2001

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