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Localization of cholecystokininlike immunoreactivity in the rat spinal cord, with particular reference to the autonomic innervation of the pelvic organs
Author(s) -
Daa Schrøder Henrik
Publication year - 1983
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/cne.902170206
Subject(s) - spinal cord , anatomy , retrograde tracing , cholecystokinin , biology , lumbosacral joint , lumbar , nucleus , central nervous system , neuroscience , dorsum , biochemistry , receptor
The distribution of cholecystokinin in the spinal cord was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Throughout the length of the spinal cord cholecystokinin immunoreactivity was found in laminae I and II, in the spinal re‐ticular nucleus, and in the surroundings of the central canal. On the basis of the cholecystokinin pattern lamina II could be divided into a dorsal and ventral part. In the lumbar and sacral spinal cord additional terminal fields of cholecystokinin immunoreactive boutons unique to these levels were found. They corresponded to the intermediolateral nucleus and to the medial lumbar sympathetic nucleus dorsal to the central canal in the first and second lumbar segment. Also the intermediolateral nucleus in L 6 –S 1 received a dense cholecystokinin positive input. Moreover, the area surrounding the central canal in L 6 –S 1 , contained many cholecystokinin immunoreactive structures. Combined retrograde tracing and immunocytochemistry revealed that the two cholecystokinin terminal fields characteristic for L 1 –L 2 and that sur‐rounding the intermediolateral nucleus in L 6 –S 1 were situated corresponding to preganglionic neurons innervating pelvic organs through the hypo‐gastric nerve or the pelvic nerves. It thus appears that the unique lumbosacral cholecystokinin is related to nuclei influencing pelvic structures, pointing to a special need for regulation of the organs involved in evacuation and sexual functions. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the caudal part of the spinal sympathetic system differs from the more cranial part with respect to type of afferent connections. The origin of the spinal cholecystokinin was investigated and it was found that neither complete transection of the spinal cord nor ipsilateral sectioning of three or four dorsal roots induced visible changes in the cholecystokinin staining pattern. Treatment of the caudal spinal cord with colchicine revealed the presence of cholecystokinin immunoreactive neurons in the intermediate gray, at the lateral border of the dorsal horn, in the dorsal horn proper, and in the substantia gelatinosa. These findings indicate that the majority of spinal cholecystokinin has a spinal origin.