Kappa opioid receptor density is consistent along the rostrocaudal axis of the female rat spinal cord

Kappa opioid receptors (KORs) were immunocytochemically localized at four different levels of the spinal cord of normally-cycling female rats in estrus or diestrus. KOR labeling was primarily observed in fine processes and a few neuronal cell bodies in the superficial dorsal horn and the dorsolatera...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain research 2001-06, Vol.905 (1), p.236-239
Main Authors: Harris, Jonathan A, Drake, Carrie T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Body Patterning - physiology
Central nervous system
Central neurotransmission. Neuromudulation. Pathways and receptors
Cervical Vertebrae
Estrous
Estrus - physiology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gonadal Steroid Hormones - metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
Kappa
Lumbar Vertebrae
Neuronal Plasticity - physiology
Nociception
Nociceptors - cytology
Nociceptors - metabolism
Opiate
Opioid Peptides - metabolism
Opioid receptors (type ^K)
Pain
Pain - metabolism
Pain - physiopathology
Posterior Horn Cells - cytology
Posterior Horn Cells - metabolism
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Receptors, Opioid, kappa - metabolism
Sacrum
Sex Characteristics
Spinal cord
Thoracic Vertebrae
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
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Summary:Kappa opioid receptors (KORs) were immunocytochemically localized at four different levels of the spinal cord of normally-cycling female rats in estrus or diestrus. KOR labeling was primarily observed in fine processes and a few neuronal cell bodies in the superficial dorsal horn and the dorsolateral funiculus. Quantitative light microscopic densitometry of the superficial dorsal horn revealed that there were no significant differences in KOR densities among spinal segments C1–C2, T2, T13–L1, and L6–S1 in either the estrus or diestrus phases. These results suggest that the potential for KOR-mediated antinociceptive responses is consistent along the rostrocaudal axis of the female rat spinal cord.
ISSN:0006-8993
1872-6240
DOI:10.1016/S0006-8993(01)02515-X