DISTRIBUTION OF NADPH-DIAPHORASE POSITIVE NERVE-FIBERS IN THE RAT NASAL-MUCOSA

Nasal mucosa was investigated by NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry. Positive fibers were distributed around blood vessels, seromucous glands and in the subepithelial layer. The pterygopalatine, trigeminal and superior cervical ganglia were also studied to examine the origin of these fibers. Many neurons in the pterygopalatine ganglion were labeled, and a few neurons were stained in the trigeminal ganglion. No perikarya were labeled in the superior cervical ganglion. Therefore, most of the labeled fibers must be originating from the pterygopalatine ganglion, and the rest of them may originate from the trigeminal ganglion. These results suggest that nitric oxide may have some role in the nervous control of the nasal mucosa.