title: Distribution of alpha2-adrenoceptor mRNAs in the rat lumbar spinal cord in normal and axotomized rats.
abstract: Using riboprobe in situ hybridization we have studied the distribution of alpha2A-, alpha2B- and alpha2c-adrenoceptor (AR) mRNAs in the lumbar spinal cord in normal rats and after peripheral axotomy. A strong alpha2A- and alpha2C AR mRNA labelling was found in motoneurons and other cells in the ventral horns. In the dorsal horns strong alpha2A-AR mRNA labelling was found in all layers and in the lateral spinal nucleus, whereas alpha2C-AR mRNA was found in lower numbers of cells in various layers. The alpha2B-AR mRNA signal was only detected in some small cells superficially in the dorsal horn. With regard to axotomy only a marginal effect was observed for alpha2C-AR mRNA in the ventral horn. The results suggest that alpha2-ARs are involved both in sensory and motor processing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Winzer-Serhan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hökfelt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D012016:Reference Values; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha