NITRERGIC INNERVATION OF THE RAT ESOPHAGUS - FOCUS ON MOTOR END-PLATES

Nitric oxide synthase immunocytochemistry and correlated NADPH-diaphor ase histochemistry were utilized to investigate nitrergic innervation of the rat esophagus. Almost all neuronal cell bodies and fibers aroun d blood vessels, and in submucosa and mucosa which were immunoreactive for NOS, also co-stained for NADPH-diaphorase. A combined demonstrati on of motor endplates with tetramethylrhodamine a-bungarotoxin or calc itonin gene-related peptide immunocytochemistry demonstrated a nitrerg ic co-innervation of striated muscle fibers in all portions of the eso phagus. The proportion of endplates co-stained increased from 35% to 7 8% from the cervical to the abdominal portion of the esophagus. These data indicate a role for NO in neuromuscular transmission in striated muscle of the esophagus.