Innervation of lumbar zygapophyseal joint synovial folds.
In a study of lower lumbar zygapophyseal facet joints, nerves have been demonstrated in the synovial folds by means of a silver impregnation method. The diameter of the nerves ranged from 0.6 to 12 microns; the number of fibers per nerve ranged from 1 to 5. They generally run a course separate from blood vessels, indicating that they are afferent nerves which probably have a nociceptive function. This finding may be relevant to low back pain.
D000328:Adult; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000294:innervation*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000294:innervation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012447:Sacrum / Q000294:innervation*; D012834:Silver; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000294:innervation*
D012834:Silver