Substance P receptor-expressing neurons in the medullary and spinal dorsal horns projecting to the nucleus of the solitary tract in the rat

• Published in: Neuroscience research 1998-03, Vol.30 (3), p.213-218
• Main Authors: Guan, Zhen-Long, Ding, Yu-Qiang, Li, Jin-Lian, Lü, Bao-Zhen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Medulla Oblongata - immunology; Medulla Oblongata - metabolism; Neurons - immunology; Neurons - metabolism; Nociception; Nucleus of the solitary tract; Rat; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Neurokinin-1 - analysis; Receptors, Neurokinin-1 - biosynthesis; Solitary Nucleus - cytology; Solitary Nucleus - immunology; Solitary Nucleus - metabolism; Spino-solitary tract; Substance P receptor; Trigeminal Caudal Nucleus - cytology; Trigeminal Caudal Nucleus - immunology; Trigeminal Caudal Nucleus - metabolism; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal - cytology; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal - immunology; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal - metabolism; Trigemino-solitary tract
• ISSN: 0168-0102; 1872-8111
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-0102(97)00131-4

By using substance P receptor (SPR) immunofluorescence histochemistry combined with fluorescent retrograde labeling, we examined the distribution of the trigeminal and spinal neurons with SPR-like immunoreactivity (-LI) projecting to the nucleus of the solitary tract in the rat. After injection of Fluoro-Gold (FG) into the nucleus of the solitary tract, FG-labeled neurons showing SPR-LI were mainly seen in lamina I of the medullary and spinal dorsal horns, lamina V and the lateral spinal nucleus of the spinal cord. The present results suggest that the trigeminal and spinal neurons with SPR-LI, especially those in lamina I, may be involved in the transmission of somatic and/or visceral nociceptive information from the medullary and spinal dorsal horns to the nucleus of the solitary tract.