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Immunofluorescence analysis of sensory nerve endings in the interosseous membrane of the forearm
Author(s) -
Rein Susanne,
Esplugas Mireia,
GarciaElias Marc,
Magin Thomas M.,
Randau Thomas M.,
Siemers Frank,
Philipps Hubertus M.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1111/joa.13138
Subject(s) - mechanoreceptor , anatomy , free nerve ending , interosseous membrane , forearm , sensory system , medicine , radial nerve , chemistry , biology , neuroscience
The human interosseous membrane (IOM) is a fundamental stabilizer during forearm rotation. To investigate the dynamic aspects of forearm stability, we analyzed sensory nerve endings in the IOM. The distal oblique bundle (DOB), the distal accessory band (DAB), the central band (CB), the proximal accessory band (PAB), the dorsal oblique accessory cord (DOAC) and the proximal oblique cord (POC) were dissected from 11 human cadaver forearms. Sensory nerve endings were analyzed at two levels per specimen as total cell amount/mm 2 after immunofluorescence staining with low‐affinity neurotrophin receptor p75, protein gene product 9.5, S‐100 protein and 4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole on an Apotome microscope, according to Freeman and Wyke’s classification. Sensory nerve endings were significantly more commonly found to be equally distributed throughout the structures, rather than being epifascicular, interstitial, or close to the insertion into bone ( P ≤ 0.001, respectively). Free nerve endings were the predominant mechanoreceptor in all six structures, with highest density in the DOB, followed by the POC ( P ≤ 0.0001, respectively). The DOB had the highest density of Pacini corpuscles. The DOAC and CB had the lowest amounts of sensory innervation. The high density of sensory corpuscles in the DOB, PAB and POC indicate that proprioceptive control of the compressive and directional muscular forces acting on the distal and proximal radioulnar joints is monitored by the DOB, PAB and POC, respectively, due to their closed proximity to both joints, whereas the central parts of the IOM act as structures of passive restraint.