Relationships between hair-follicle afferent terminations and glutamic acid decarboxylase-containing boutons in the cat's spinal cord.
Axoaxonic synapses are common features of hair-follicle afferent boutons. We have attempted to discover the identity of the neurotransmitter in the associated axon terminals by combining intra-axonal labelling of hair-follicle afferent axons with immunocytochemistry in a correlated light and electron microscopical study. Boutons containing glutamic acid decarboxylase, an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of the inhibitory transmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid, formed synaptic-like associations with hair-follicle afferent boutons. This suggests that hair-follicle afferent axons can be inhibited presynaptically.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000032:analysis*; D006197:Hair / Q000294:innervation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000201:enzymology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology
D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase