title: Substance P receptor-expressing neurons in the medullary and spinal dorsal horns projecting to the nucleus of the solitary tract in the rat.
abstract: By using substance P receptor (SPR) immunofluorescence histochemistry combined with fluorescent retrograde labeling, we examined the distribution of the trigeminal and spinal neurons with SPR-like immunoreactivity (-LI) projecting to the nucleus of the solitary tract in the rat. After injection of Fluoro-Gold (FG) into the nucleus of the solitary tract, FG-labeled neurons showing SPR-LI were mainly seen in lamina I of the medullary and spinal dorsal horns, lamina V and the lateral spinal nucleus of the spinal cord. The present results suggest that the trigeminal and spinal neurons with SPR-LI, especially those in lamina I may be involved in the transmission of somatic and/or visceral nociceptive information from the medullary and spinal dorsal horns to the nucleus of the solitary tract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and K.K. Leung Brain Research Center, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Z L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Y Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: B Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Lü
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014275:Trigeminal Caudal Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014279:Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1