GABAergic and non-GABAergic thalamic, hypothalamic and basal forebrain projections to the ventral oral pontine reticular nucleus: their implication in REM sleep modulation.

The ventral part of the oral pontine reticular nucleus (vRPO) is a demonstrated site of brainstem REM-sleep generation and maintenance. The vRPO has reciprocal connections with structures that control other states of the sleep-wakefulness cycle, many situated in the basal forebrain and the diencephalon. Some of these connections utilize the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.

Partial nicotinic receptor blockade unmasks a modulatory role of nitric oxide on urethral striated neuromuscular transmission.

The objective of this study was to investigate the possible modulatory role of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) production on the urethral striated muscle (USM) function in the sheep urethra. Significant NO synthase (NOS) activity was measured in both the particulate and cytosolic fractions of USM homogenates. NOS activity was calcium-dependent and showed greater inhibition by NOS inhibitors selective of the neural NOS isoform (nNOS).

Double bouquet cell in the human cerebral cortex and a comparison with other mammals.

Double bouquet cells (DBCs) are neocortical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons characterized by the vertical bundling of its axon, which are generally termed "bundles" or "horse-tails." Using immunocytochemistry for the calcium binding protein calbindin, we have analyzed the morphology, density, and distribution of DBC horse-tails in different cortical areas of the human cortex (Brodmann's areas 10, 4, 3b, 22, 18, and 17). Although DBC horse-tails were very numerous and regularly distributed in all cortical areas, variations were observed both in terms of morphology and density.

Stereological study of the external urethral sphincter in the female urethra of the lamb: a new model for studies on urinary continence.

Some of the morphometrical features and functional properties of the lamb external urethral sphincter (EUS) were determined by means of ATPase histochemistry. In this study, eight female urethras of 2- to 3-month-old lambs were used. The samples were studied by using an unbiased stereological design and were statistically evaluated with a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.