Transient expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity in the ventral horn of the post-natal rat cervical spinal cord

• Published in: Brain research. Developmental brain research 1999-06, Vol.115 (1), p.93-96
• Main Authors: Gibson, Claire L., Clowry, Gavin J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activity dependent modification of synapses; Animals; Calcitonin gene-related peptide; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide - analysis; Immunohistochemistry; Neck - innervation; Primary sensory afferents; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Spinal Cord - chemistry; Spinal Cord - growth & development; Spinal pattern generators; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0165-3806
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-3806(99)00056-5

In addition to the well known expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity in primary afferent fibers in the dorsal horn and in motoneurons, this study has demonstrated, in rat, transient CGRP immunoreactivity in fine caliber varicose axons throughout the ventral horn and in a group of neuron cell bodies in the medial ventral horn. This was first observed at post-natal day 7 (P7) and had disappeared by P21. Physiological studies in chick embryonic spinal cord have shown that CGRP modulates spontaneous activity during development [Carr, P.A., Wenner, P., 1998. Calcitonin gene-related peptide and effects on spontaneous activity in embryonic chick spinal cord. Dev. Brain Res. 106, 47–55]. Neural activity increases post-natally in rat where it may play a role in refinement of sensorimotor synapses. This activity may also be modulated by CGRP.