NADPH-DIAPHORASE NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE-POSITIVE ELEMENTS IN THE HUMANOLFACTORY-BULB

THE distribution and morphology of nitric oxide-synthesizing elements in the human olfactory bulb were studied using NADPH-diaphorase histoc hemistry and nitric oxide synthase immunohistochemistry. NADPH-diaphor ase was detected in all olfactory fibers and groups of superficial sho rt-axon cells, deep short-axon cells, stellate cells and abundant cent rifugal fibers. Similar cell types were nitric oxide synthase immunore active but olfactory fibers were immunonegative. The distribution patt erns of nitric oxide-synthesizing elements showed significant differen ces from what has been reported in the olfactory bulb of macrosmatic m ammals including rodents and insectivores. These differences are likel y to correlate with interspecies differences in the processing of olfa ctory information. (C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.