NADPH- diaphorase positive cardiac neurons in the atria of mice. A morphoquantitative study (original) (raw)

The present study was conducted to determine the location, the morphology and distribution of NADPH-diaphorase positive neurons in the cardiac nerve plexus of the atria of mice (ASn). This plexus lies over the muscular layer of the atria, dorsal to the muscle itself, in the connective tissue of the subepicardium. NADPH- diaphorase staining was performed on whole-mount preparations of the atria mice. For descriptive purposes, all data are presented as means +/- SEM. The majority of the NADPH-diaphorase positive neurons were observed in the ganglia of the plexus. A few single neurons were also observed. The number of NADPH-d positive neurons was 57 +/- 4 (ranging from 39 to 79 neurons). The ganglion neurons were located in 3 distinct groups: (1) in the region situated cranial to the pulmonary veins, (2) caudally to the pulmonary veins, and (3) in the atrial groove. The largest group of neurons was located cranially to the pulmonary veins (66.7%). Three morphological types of NADPH-dia...