title: Expression of c-fos protein in lumbosacral spinal cord in response to vaginocervical stimulation in rats.
abstract: The pattern of vaginocervical stimulation-evoked expression of the proto-oncogene c-fos in lumbar 5-sacral 1 segments of the spinal cord of ovariectomized adult rats was mapped using immunocytochemistry. A calibrated force of mechanostimulation was applied to the vaginal cervix of experimental animals and to the perineum of control animals while they were gently restrained. The number of cells expressing c-fos was significantly greater in the experimental than the control animals in laminae I, IV, V-VI and X. The implications of the present findings for elucidating the spinal pathways mediating the various behavioral, neuroendocrine and autonomic effects of vaginocervical stimulation (VS) are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Behavior, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chinapen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Swann
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Steinman
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Komisaruk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000502:physiology*; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D014621:Vagina / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D003847:Deoxyglucose