NEURONAL AND MACROPHAGIC NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE ISOFORMS DISTRIBUTION IN NORMAL RAT RETINA

A detailed study about the distribution of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms, neuronal NOS (nNOS) and macrophagic NOS (mNOS), in normal r at retina was performed using immunocytochemistry by employing specifi c antibodies. The nNOS immunocytochemistry showed immunoreactive amacr ine cells, fibres in inner and outer plexiform layers (IPL and OPL) an d an immunostained band corresponding to inner photoreceptor segments (IFS). This was in agreement with NADPH-d histochemical results. mNOS immunoreactivity was found in cell somas localized in both, inner nucl ear layer (INL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL), in slender Muller cell processes along IPL and GCL and also in the band corresponding to IFS. A different distribution of nNOS and mNOS was found in rat retina alt hough both isoforms of NOS are co-localized in IFS. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.