Nitric oxide synthase containing nerves in the cat and dog dental pulp and gingiva

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 1997-05, Vol.227 (2), p.91-94
• Main Authors: Lohinai, Zsolt, Székely, Andrea D, Benedek, Péter, Csillag, András
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cat; Cats; Dental pulp; Dental Pulp - enzymology; Dog; Dogs; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gingiva; Gingiva - enzymology; Histochemistry; Immunocytochemistry; Inferior alveolar artery; Inferior alveolar nerve; Male; Mouth. Exocrine and endocrine salivary glands. Teeth. Esophagus; Nerve Fibers - enzymology; Nerve Fibers - physiology; Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase; Nitric oxide synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase - metabolism; Vertebrates: digestive system
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(97)00319-4

In a previous study we found that nitric oxide (NO) plays an essential role in the hemodynamic regulation of the feline dental pulp. However, no evidence for the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) containing nerve fibers was found in the rat and cat dental pulps. In the present study, we are first to report the presence of a small number of NADPH-d positive and/or NO synthase immunoreactive perivascular and solitary varicose axons in the dental pulp and abundant number of similar axons in the gingiva of cats and dogs. These fibres may travel within the inferior alveolar nerve and might participate in sensory (i.e. pain) as well as in autonomic (i.e. regulation of blood flow) innervation of the dental pulp and gingiva.