Abstract
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) or NOS-III in the endothelium catalyzes production of nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide diffuses freely into vascular smooth muscle, where it activates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) to produce guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) and causes vasorelaxation. The NO/cGMP pathway is an important signaling pathway in the control of perinatal pulmonary circulation. An exact colocalization of NOS-III in the pulmonary endothelium and sGC in the vascular smooth muscle was demonstrated using a double immunolabeling technique. The sGC immunoreactivity was higher in resistant pulmonary vessels and veins than in conduit arteries, whereas NOS-III immunoreactivity was higher in conduit arteries than in veins. These results demonstrated anatomically in situ a paracrine role of NOS-III and sGC in the regulation of fetal pulmonary circulation and suggested a heterogeneous distribution of NOS-III and sGC within fetal ovine pulmonary vasculature. Our results provided an anatomic basis that supported previous functional studies on perinatal control of pulmonary circulation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 125-130 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Histochemistry and Cell Biology |
Volume | 119 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Feb 1 2003 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Double immunolabeling
- Fetus
- Lung
- NOS
- sGC
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Histology
- Molecular Biology
- Medical Laboratory Technology
- Cell Biology