O. Goureau et al., DEVELOPMENTAL EXPRESSION OF NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE ISOFORM-I AND ISOFORM-III IN CHICK RETINA, Journal of neuroscience research, 50(1), 1997, pp. 104-113
During our studies on the multiple possible functions of nitric oxide
(NO) in chick retinal development and physiology, we have demonstrated
the presence and the activity of NO synthase (NOS-I and III) in certa
in neuronal populations (photoreceptors, amacrine cells in the inner n
uclear and ganglion cells) and also in synaptic-rich regions in the de
veloping chick retina, Both enzymes, detected by nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase, immunohistochemistry and We
stern blotting, appeared between embryonic days 6 and 12, and followed
a spatial and temporal pattern of expression which correlated with th
e differentiation of the neuronal layers, Evaluation of the conversion
of [H-3]-labeled arginine to [H-3]-citrulline, confirmed the presence
of a calcium-dependent NOS activity in the cytosolic and particulate
retinal extracts during the development, This pattern of NOS expressio
n suggests that the regulated release of NO during key phases of devel
opment might be one mechanism involved in the regulation of retinal di
fferentiation. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.