Localisation of P2X2 receptor subunit immunoreactivity on nitric oxide synthase expressing neurones in the brain stem and hypothalamus of the rat: A fluorescence immunohistochemical study

Abstract

A large body of evidence suggests that nitric oxide (NO) and ATP act as neurotransmitters in the regulatory mechanisms concerning several autonomic functions at the level of both the hypothalamus and the brain stem. In the present study, we investigated whether neuronal NO synthase containing neurones also express P2X2 receptor subunit of the ATP-gated ion channel via double-labelling fluorescence immunohistochemistry. Our data demonstrate that a high percentage of neuronal NO synthase-immunoreactive neurones are also P2X2-immunoreactive in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (98%) and supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus (92%). Significant numbers of neuronal NO synthase-immunoreactive neur..