The Study for Isoforms of Nitric Oxide Synthase in the Rat Penis and Major Pelvic Ganglion / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

Immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate the presence of nitricoxide synthase (NOS) family enzymes in the rat penis and major pelvic ganglion.We used three kinds of antisera which are brain(neuronal), endothelial cell andmacrophge(inducible) enzymes of NOS. Many brain NOS positive neurons wereobserved in the major pelvic ganglion, especially in the initial portion of thecavenous nerve. In the penile erectile tissue, many delicate, beaded or linearbrain NOS-positive fibers were observed on the bundle of smooth muscles,adventitia of helicine artery and wall of cavernous space. Brain NOS-positiveimmunoreactivity were also seen on the encapsulated nerve ending and adventitiaof dorsal vessels of penis. Endothelial cell NOS immunoreactivity was exclusivelyin the urethral epithelium of corpus spongiosum. There was no inducible NOSimmunoreactivity in rat penis and major pelvic ganglion. These results suggestthat NO related to penile erection in rat was made from brain NOS rather thanendothelia1 cell or inducible NOS.