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Relationship of NK 3 receptor‐ immunoreactivity to subpopulations of neurons in rat spinal cord
Author(s) -
Seybold V.S.,
Grkovic I.,
Portbury A.L.,
Ding Y.Q.,
Shigemoto R.,
Mizuno N.,
Furness J.B.,
Southwell B.R.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(19970519)381:4<439::aid-cne4>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - spinal cord , colocalization , gdf7 , biology , nucleus , anatomy , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , embryonic stem cell , gene
The distribution of immunoreactivity to the neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R) was examined in segments C7, T11‐12, L1‐2, and L4‐6 of the rat spinal cord. NK3R immunoreactivity was visualized by using two antisera generated against sequences of amino acids contained in the C‐terminal region of the NK3R. NK3R‐immunoreactive cells were numerous in the substantia gelatinosa of all spinal segments examined as well as the dorsal commissural nucleus of spinal segments L1‐2. Isolated, immunoreactive cells were scattered throughout other regions of the spinal cord. The relationship of NK3R‐immunoreactivity with neurons was demonstrated by colocalization with microtubule associated protein 2‐immunoreactivity in individual cells. Within neurons, NK3R‐immunoreactivity was associated predominately with the plasma membrane of cell bodies and dendrites. Within the substantia gelatinosa, 86% of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)‐immunoreactive neurons were also NK3R‐immunoreactive. Although NOS‐immunoreactive neurons were found throughout all other regions of the spinal cord in the segments examined, these were not NK3R‐immunoreactive. When preganglionic sympathetic neurons in spinal segments T11‐12 and L1‐2 were visualized by intraperitoneal injection of Fluorogold, less than 1% of the Fluorogold‐labeled neurons were also immunoreactive for NK3R. The large number of NK3R‐immunoreactive neurons in the substantia gelatinosa suggests that some effects of tachykinins on somatosensation may be mediated by NK3R. J. Comp. Neurol. 381:439‐448, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.