Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase histochemistry was utilized to localize nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and thus sites where nitric oxide (NO) can be synthesized, within peripheral nervous system perikarya and fibers. Recent studies suggest that NO relaxes vascular and non-vascular smooth muscle. In this study, the origin and distribution of NADPH-diaphorase perikarya and fibers in the rat urinary bladder were examined. Results suggest that a small number of NADPH-diaphorase-positive perikarya are present within the bladder wall and within adjacent small ganglia. In addition, NADPH-diaphorase-positive nerve fibers were observed in the adventitial and muscular layers, subjacent to the urothelium and as perivascular fibers. After injection of the retrograde tracer fluorogold (FG) into the bladder wall, numerous FG-labeled perikarya in the major pelvic ganglia and the T13-L2, L6 and S1 dorsal root ganglia were NADPH-diaphorase positive. However, none of the FG-labeled perikarya in the inferior mesenteric ganglia were NADPH-diaphorase positive. The prevalence of NADPH-diaphorase-positive perikarya and fibers suggests that NO may serve a role in bladder function.