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Postnatal development of nitric oxide synthase expression in the mouse superior colliculus
R J Cork1, T Calhoun, M Perrone
1Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA. jcork@lsuhsc.edu
The Journal of Comparative Neurology
|November 1, 2000
Summary
This study reveals the early onset and developmental patterns of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in the mouse superior colliculus (SC). These findings support nitric oxide
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Nitric oxide (NO) is implicated in refining retinal projections to the superior colliculus (SC).
- Understanding the developmental expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is crucial for elucidating NO's role in SC pathway refinement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the onset and developmental trajectory of nNOS expression in the mouse SC.
- To compare the temporal and spatial patterns of nNOS expression with the known timeline of SC pathway refinement.
Main Methods:
- Histochemical analysis using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd).
- Immunocytochemistry with an antibody against nNOS.
- Examination of mouse SC sections at various postnatal ages (P1, P5, P8, P11, P15, P21) and adulthood.
Main Results:
- Early nNOS expression was observed in the SC, preceding previously reported onset using NADPHd.
- A ventral-to-dorsal progression of nNOS expression was noted, with distinct temporal patterns in different SC layers.
- nNOS expression in the intermediate gray layer (IGL) peaked at P15, while superficial layers showed increasing expression through P21 before declining in adults.
Conclusions:
- The temporal and spatial patterns of nNOS expression closely align with the developmental timeline of SC pathway refinement.
- These findings provide further evidence for the involvement of nitric oxide in the developmental refinement of visual pathways in the SC.
