Abstract
The expression and distribution of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was studied by use of the newly designed specific histochemical NADPH diaphorase staining method and the indirect immunofluorescence technique employing an antiserum to brain NOS in visceral and somatic striated muscles of several mammalian species. Histochemical activity and immunoreactivity were located in the sarcolemma region of type I and II fibers of all muscles investigated. Visceral muscles were more strongly stained than somatic muscles. Furthermore, type II fibers, identified by staining of myosin adenosine triphosphatase activity after pre-incubation at alkaline pH, were more intensely labeled than type I fibers. In addition, NOS activity was detected in the area of the sarcolemma of intrafusal fibers. No obvious differences between species were observed. It was concluded that NOS of striated muscles probably makes up the richest and most important nitric oxide source in mammals.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blottner D, Grozdanovic Z, Gossrau R (1995) Histochemistry of nitric oxide synthase in the nervous system. Histochem J 28 (in press)
Grozdanovic Z, Gossrau R (1995) α-NADPH appears to the primarily oxidized by the NADPH-diaphorase activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Acta Histochem 97 (in press)
Grozdanovic Z, Nakos G, Christova T, Nikolova Z, Mayer B, Gossrau R (1995a) Demonstration of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in marmosets by NADPH diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry and NOS immunoreactivity. Acta Histochem 97 (in press)
Grozdanovic Z, Nakos G, Mayer B, Gossrau R (1995b) A modified method allows for correlation between NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry and immunohistochemistry for the demonstration of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Folia Histochem Cytobiol 33:11–18
Kobzik L, Reid MB, Bredt DS, Stamler JS (1994) Nitric oxide in skeletal muscle. Nature 372:546–548
Lojda Z, Gossrau R, Schiebler TH (1979) Enzyme histochemistry. A laboratory manual. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Mayer B, John M, Böhme E (1990) Purification of a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent nitric oxide synthase from porcine cerebellum. Cofactor-role of tetrahydrobiopterin. FEBS Lett 277:215–219
Meijer AEFH (1991) The pentose phosphate pathway in skeletal muscle under pathophysiological conditions. Prog Histochem Cytochem 22:1–118
Nakane M (1994) Biochemical and molecular biochemical analysis of brain-type nitric oxide synthase. In: Takagi H, Toda N, Hawkins RD (eds) Nitric oxide: roles in neuronal communication and neurotoxicity. Taniguchi symposia on brain sciences, no. 17. Japan Scientific Societies Press, Tokyo, pp 19–27
Nakane M, Schmidt HHHW, Pollock JS, Förstermann U, Murad F (1993) Cloned human brain nitric oxide synthase is highly expressed in skeletal muscle. FEBS Lett 316:175–180
Nakos G, Gossrau R (1994) When NADPH diaphorase (NADPHd) works in the presence of formaldehyde, the enzyme appears to visualize selectively cells with constitutive nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Acta Histochem 96:335–343
Scherer-Singler U, Vincent SR, Kimura H, McGeer EG (1983) Demonstration of a unique population of neurons with NADPH diaphorase histochemistry. J Neurosci Meth 9:229–234
Schmalbruch H (1985) Skeletal muscles. In: Oksche A, Vollrath L (eds) Handbook of microscopic anatomy, vol II/6. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Sulakhe PV, Sulakhe SJ, Leung NL-K, Louis PJS, Hickie RA (1976) Guanylate cyclase: subcellular distribution in cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, cerebral cortex and liver. Biochem J 157:705–712
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grozdanovic, Z., Nakos, G., Dahrmann, G. et al. Species-independent expression of nitric oxide synthase in the sarcolemma region of visceral and somatic striated muscle fibers. Cell Tissue Res. 281, 493–499 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00417866
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00417866