Postnatal development of the enteric neurons expressing neuronal nitric oxide synthase

Neurons, expressing neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the enteric ganglia are inhibitory motor neurons or interneurons. The aim of the study was to identify the percentage, cross‐sectional area of nNOS‐immunoreactive (IR) neurons and their colocalization with choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and neuropeptide Y in the intramural ganglia of the myenteric (MP) and submucous plexus (SP) of the small intestine (SI) and large intestine (LI) of rats of different age groups using immunohistochemical methods. In the intramural ganglia of the MP, the largest percentage of nNOS‐IR neurons was detected in newborn rats in the LI (81 ± 0.9%) and SI (48 ± 4.1%). Subsequently, it decreased in ontogenesis up to 60 days of life (26 ± 0.9% LI, 29 ± 3.2% SI), and did not change until senescence. In the SP, abundant nNOS‐IR neurons were also detected in newborns (82 ± 7.0% SI, 85 ± 3.2% LI), while their percentage decreased significantly in the next 20 days. Furthermore, a very small number of nNOS‐IR neurons was detected in 30‐day‐ and 2‐month‐old animals, but they again appeared in large numbers in aged rats. In the MP, the highest percentage of nNOS+/ChAT+ neurons was in 1‐day‐old, 10‐day‐old, and 2‐year‐old rats. In the SP, the largest number of nNOS‐IR neurons colocalized ChAT regardless of age. In the MP of all rats, many nNOS‐IR neurons colocalized VIP, and the maximal percentage of nNOS+/VIP+ neurons was found in 2‐year‐old rats, minimal—in newborns. In conclusion, nNOS expression in neurons of the gut is decreased in early postnatal ontogenesis and subsequently increased in aged rats.