The subfornical organ (SFO) is one of the circumventricular organs (CVOs) of the mammalian nervous system responsible for maintaining the energy and water and sodium balance. Despite notable interest in the SFO and its physiological functions, the organization of individual populations of SFO cells, as well as their interactions remain to be clearly established. In this study we examined GABA and nitroxidergic systems of SFO using immunohistochemical (IHC) methods. The brain of male Wistar rats at different stages of postnatal development: postnatal day 7 (P7), 14 (P14) and adult (4–6 months), was examined. The data obtained allowed us to characterize changes in the activity of the GABA- and nitroxidergic systems of the SFO during development. In adult rats, three subpopulations of nitroxidergic cells, differing in the intensity of the reaction and tissue localization, can be distinguished. The revealed morphological heterogeneity of nitroxidergic cells in SFO may reflect their diverse functional status.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.