Nitric oxide may act as a messenger between dorsal root ganglion neurones and their satellite cells.

ABSTRACT

The distribution of NADPH-diaphorase and cyclic GMP in neonatal dorsal root ganglia in vitro has been investigated under control conditions and in response to incubation with either sodium nitroprusside or N-methyl-D-aspartate. NADPH-diaphorase activity which reveals the distribution of nitric oxide (NO) synthase in neurons was found to be intense in some dorsal root ganglion neurones and present at a lower level in the majority. Basal levels of cGMP were found to be low but when stimulated by sodium nitroprusside were found to be selectively increased in satellite cells. The results suggest that NO may function as a signalling system between neurones and satellite cells in sensory ganglia.