Anatomical variations of the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve

Twenty cadaveric upper limbs were studied to identify the course of the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve [PCBMN] and its relation to the commonly used surgical landmarks of the palm of the hand. Dissection was begun in the forearm by exposing the median nerve, then the incision was extended distally into the palm along the thenar crease. The PCBMN was then exposed at the radial side of the median nerve and traced distally into the palm. The relationship of the PCBMN to the overlying soft tissue landmarks was then measured at the level of the distal wrist crease. The palmar cutaneous nerve of the median nerve was found closely underlie the thenar skin crease [range of 6 mm ulnar to 6 mm radial to the thenar skin crease]. The nerve traveled an average of 5 mm radial to the interthenar depression [range, 0- 12 mm redial]. So, these anatomical variations should be recommended for surgical approaches to the carpal tunnel release

Direct descending projection from the A5 cell group to target specific sympathetic preganglionic neurones in Sprague-Dawley rats

The current study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that projection from A5 cell group to sympatho-adrenal preganglionic neurons is, at least in part, a direct one. Therefore, combined anterograde labeling of A5 cell group with biotinylated dextran amine and retrograde labeling of sympatho-adrenal preganglionic neurons with cholera toxin subunit B conjugated to horseradish peroxidase was used. Also, retrograde labeling of A5 cell group was carried out by injecting the retrograde tracer Fluorogold into the lateral funiculus of the second thoracic spinal cord segment to ascertain the orientation of the A5 cell group. A5 axonterminals were found closely apposing soma and dendrites of sympatho-adrenal preganglionic neurons. A1so, Fluorogold studies elucidated this finding. The results suggested a direct projection from A5 cell group to target specific sympathetic preganglionic neurons

Localization of TGF-beta receptors [type II] in the adult rat muscles

To date, signal transduction of transforming growth factor-beta [TGF-beta] members is well known to occur through three main identified types of protein receptors. Type II receptors [T beta R-II] were found to be prime movers of the signaling process of TGF-beta candidates. Because TGF-beta 2 localizes a neuromuscular junctions [nmjs] of the adult Wistar rats, it would be expectable accumulation of TGF-beta receptors at the same location, i.e. nmjs. Two groups of six Wistar rats were subject to both confocal immunohistochemistry and immunoelectronmicroscopy studies. The main objective of this study was to localize T beta R-II particularly at the nmjs. The results do not prove a clear-cut evidence of T beta R-II accumulation at the nmjs. The receptors would rather scatter near and around the intracellular organelles such as mitochondria in a variable manner. Several assumptions were put forward to explain such variability