Glial NO: Normal and pathological roles

All nervous system cell types can be induced with cytokines or bacterial products to make nitric oxide, at least in culture. The signaling pathways invoked by inducers that result in transcriptional activation of the nitric oxide synthase gene are becoming clear, and modulators of this induction have been discovered, Much suggestive and, recently, more definitive evidence has accumulated for induction of nitric oxide synthase in glial cells in vivo associated with viral infection, as well as in animal models of trauma, ischemia, and autoimmunity, Whether nitric oxide from this source contributes to or limits the attendant conditions is not yet clear.