Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
Two-photon Imaging of Intracellular Ca2+ Handling and Nitric Oxide Production in Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells of an Isolated Rat Aorta
Published on: June 10, 2015
Effect of nitric oxide on the expression of apelin receptor mRNA in rat caudate nucleus
Bo Bai1, Yu-Hong Liu, Hai-Qing Liu
1Department of Neurobiology, Taishan Medical College, Taian 271016, China. bbai@tsmc.edu.cn
Objective:
To investigate the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the expression of apelin receptor mRNA, as well as their correlation, in the caudate nucleus of rat.
Methods:
L-Arginine (L-Arg), N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and normal saline (NS) was separately microinjected into rat caudate nucleus. Expressions of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) mRNA and apelin receptor mRNA were detected by RT-PCR at 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h after microinjection, and their correlation was determined.
Results:
The expressions of nNOS mRNA and apelin receptor mRNA were both significantly increased after microinjection of L-Arg, but significantly decreased after microinjection of L-NAME compared with the NS control group. The nNOS mRNA had a positive correlation with the expression of apelin receptor mRNA after microinjection of L-Arg and L-NAME.
Conclusion:
The activity of NOS in the central nervous system, especially in the caudate nucleus, is one of the key factors for NO to exert many kinds of biological actions, such as modulation of central pain, as a neurotransmitter. The neurobiological action of NO in rat caudate nucleus may be associated with apelin receptors.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway
01:26Adrenergic Receptors: β Subtype
Isoprenaline > Adrenaline > Noradrenaline
Neurotransmitter binding to these receptors causes activation of adenylyl cyclase resulting in increased concentrations of cAMP and modulation of calcium ion channels within the cell. They are further classified into β1, β2, and β3 subtypes.
β1-adrenoceptors: β1-adrenoceptors have equal affinities for...