COEXISTENCE OF CALCITONIN-GENE-RELATED PEPTIDE AND NADPH-DIAPHORASE IN THE CANINE SUPERIOR CERVICAL-GANGLION

By means of double staining technique of NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) hi stochemistry and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunohistoche mistry, we investigated the coexistence of NADPH-d reactivity and CGRP immunoreactivity in the canine superior cervical ganglion (SCG). Most of NADPH-d reactivity and CGRP immunoreactivity were coexisted in the principal postganglionic neurons. These neurons were distributed thro ughout the ganglion without specific localization. The present finding s suggest the intimate role of CGRP and nitric oxide in postganglionic neurons of the canine SCG. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.