title: Quantitative analysis of tooth pulp afferent terminals in the rat brain stem.
abstract: This study analyzed quantitatively the ultrastructural features of tooth pulp afferent terminals and their presynaptic axonal endings (p-endings) in the trigeminal principal (Vp), dorsomedial oral (Vdm), and caudal nuclei (Vc). Mitochondrial volume, active zone area, apposed surface area, and vesicle number were highly correlated with afferent bouton volume. The afferent bouton volume varied widely in Vp, compared to that in Vdm and Vc. The values of all parameters of p-endings were within a narrow range, and were smaller than those of afferent boutons. The afferent bouton volume correlated with the number of postsynaptic dendrites and p-endings. These results suggest that pulpal afferent information is regulated in a unique manner in the each trigeminal sensory nucleus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 188-1, 2-Ga, Samdeok-Dong, Jung-Gu, Daegu 700-412, Korea. ycbae@knu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Yong Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Sang Kyoo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.forename: Kuk Pil
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Su Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jong Gil
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Dong Kuk
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Sung Kyo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moritani
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002452:Cell Count; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D018998:Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018998:Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate